


Say no say why

by Felidae5



Series: Stinging Beauty [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: M/M, Songfic, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-16 06:13:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 32,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17544275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felidae5/pseuds/Felidae5
Summary: This is the second part of myStinging Beautyseries. Here you will find, well, basically the college years. Again, lots of drama, angst, love and cheer and what not more from our two beloved bishies





	1. Laughter for my fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome. Welcome to the third circle of hell. Or what you mortals have come to know as college. Just kidding; college can be as fun as it can be terrifying. Of course, if you're a drop-dead gourgeous blond bishie with a badass record and call an equally sexy and powerful CEO your boyfriend, life might be just a tad bit more and less stryifing than for your average student...

_Laughter for my fears_

 

Being a freshman is difficult.  
Being a _gay_ freshman is hell on earth.  
Between the students seeing you as a laughing stock and those referring to you as punching bag, you must pay most attention to those who consider you a cheap fuck.  
Jou instantly made known that he

a.) couldn’t care less for being insulted for being gay  
b.) had a killer punch and equal uppercut, if need be, and  
c.) was perfectly comfortable with his current long-distance relationship

And then he met Gokasho Hiroyuki.

With his strawy, mousebrown hair, almost girlish features, frail body and occasional clumsiness, Hiroyuki seemed like the poster boy for nerdiness.  
That was, until he took off his glasses and started speaking.  
His green-brown and gold freckled eyes held an uncanny brilliance and warmth and were equal captivating as the many cadences of his rich, soft tenor, which was enthralling, unsettling, calming and demanding all the same.  
Jou could spend hours listening to him explain the differences between the various kinds of transmitters, and on the other hand, the blond helped Hiroyuki gain some backbone.  
Of course, this gave the rumor mill a head-start.

“No, we’re _not_ dating. No, we’re _not_ making out or fucking either. We’re only friends, nothing more, nothing less” Jou growled frustrated, as he banged his head repeatedly against the desk.  
Hiroyuki sighed.  
“Really, one should think that when attending college, the pupils would grow to be a little more..matured. Especially the senpais.”  
Letting his eyes graze the pulk surrounding him and Jou, he added:  
“Obviously, I was sadly mistaken. My bad for being so naïve.”  
Shooting up from his seat, the blond turned to his new friend and snapped:  
“No, it’s not your fault, it’s _theirs_! Because of their own insecurities and jealousy, they have to go pick on anyone who appears to be even _remotely_ happy, so they don’t have to think about how miserable their own lives are or come to terms with their self-righteousness and lack of character!”  
With that, Jou stormed out of the classroom, leaving the others speechless.  
From that day on, nobody lost a word about him and Hiroyuki.

“Moshi, moshi?”  
“Am I correct in my assumption, that I have reached the student’s dorm of Toyohashi University?” came a deep, reserved voice from the other end of the line, sending shivers up the student’s back, who had picked up the phone.  
“Ha-hai, well, actually, this is the west wing of-“  
“Perfect. I would like to speak to Jounouchi Katsuya” demanded the voice.  
“Uuhh, sure, of course, sugu ni. Whom may I announce?”  
There was a short silence at the other end, then:  
“His boyfriend.”  
With a loud “ooouhhh!”, the student faced the door to the TV room and hollered:  
“Jounouchi! Hey, Jou, you got a call! Come on, shove your ass over here!”  
Seto, on the other end of the line, frowned, then rolled his eyes in annoyance.  
He could hear the familiar drawl of his koi asking for the identity of the caller, and the guy crawing:  
“It’s your sugar daddiee!”  
A soft rustling, a rasped:  
“Hang on” and then-  
TWACK!  
“If you _ever_ call him that again, I’ll skin you alive”, snarled Jou, before he returned to the matter at hand and whispered into the speaker:  
“Ya, Seto, o-genki desu ka?”  
The CEO cocked a brow at his lover’s sudden change of tune and asked back:  
“Are you terrorizing the natives again, Jou?”  
Snorting, the blond replied:  
“Iie, just bringing out the garbage.”  
“Hn. I see.”  
There was a short pause on both sides, then Jou mumbled:  
“Listen, I know you phoned to ask when I’m coming home. Let’s just say, at the moment it would be easier to climb Fuji-san in heels than get a single day off. But,”  
he halted Seto’s comment,  
“I can make it to your birthday. And even stay a whole three days.”  
He could hear the brunet’s mental course, even before this one sighed:  
“Gomen, Jou, but I will be on a business trip, starting mid October. I doubt, I can…”  
“No, it’s ok. Wakarimasu.”  
Jou didn’t even try to hide his disappointment.  
It was not the first time this had happened, and surely would not be the last.  
That was one of the downsides of dating a CEO.  
A while, both remained silent, then Seto mused aloud:  
“I wonder how long it takes for the Shinkansen to get fom Toyohashi to Utsunomiya?”  
Jou felt, as if the kami had just smiled upon him.

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Yeah, I had a feeling that the whole 'sugar daddy' line wouldn't sit well with Jou. Of course, Seto could have just called his cell, but he wouldn't want to distract his darling dearest mid-lecture now, would he. Also, Hiroyuki Gokasho uis my very own OC; please use with permission, arigatou.^^

Felidae


	2. Just by mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, if you wish to use Gokasho, just ask first, thank you.

31\. Just by mistake

 

“You gotta help me! You’re my only chance, Jounouchi! Onegai!” pleaded Hiroyuki with the blond.  
Said one rolled his eyes, before scratching his head.  
“Ok, fine, I’ll see what I can do, but-“  
“Oh, thank you, arigato, arigato, arigato…”  
The short brunet bowed repeatedly, until Jou had to fight the urge to smack his friend across the face. Instead, he grabbed the other teen’s shoulders and, straightening him, grunted:  
“Hey, knock it off, people are already staring at us. Now, do you think we can discuss this out like normal human beings, or do I have to put you in a hot bath?”  
Gokasho nodded, then shook his head, then settled for a shrug. Jou groaned.  
“Listen, I got advanced polytechnics in-” he checked his watch”-ten minutes. Meet me after that in my room and I’ll see, what I can do. Just don’t expect any miracles.”

He couldn’t stop laughing.  
To his credit, he tried until his ears hurt from the supressed guffaws, but it just broke out of him again.  
Hiroyuki pouted.  
“Honte de, I fail to see what’s so amusing, Jounouchi.”  
Wiping the tears from his face, the blond hiccupped:  
“It’s, it’s only the irony of the situation, believe me. So, Kouta Yukuri is your flavor of the month, ne?”  
A blush crept across Gokasho’s features at the mentioning of the captain of both the Kyudo and Aikido club.  
She _was_ a sight, Jou had to admit; built like a brick house, her copper tresses in a high ponytail and sparkling emerald eyes. Only a little shorter than himself, she towered over Hiroyuki like a sycamore over an oak.  
Yet, despite her…amazone-like physique and occasionally quick temper, she was one of the shyest, sweetest, most caring people he had ever met.  
And she had fallen head over heels for Hiroyuki.

Jou crossed his arms behind his head and smirked:  
“Let me guess, you need me to get the girl, right?”  
To his surprise, Gokasho shook his head.  
“Iie, I asked her out, and we..uhh, got a-date for coming..Saturday.”  
Shifting nervously back and forth, he quickly continued:  
“I-I need you to show me how to..dance.”  
Mouth slightly agape, Jou stared at his friend. Then he blinked and rasped:  
“I do hope you’re referring to dancing as an art form or sportive event and not-“  
“No, no, of course not, I would never-I mean, she-and me, and then..”  
Hiroyuki ducked his head, cleared his voice and asked timidly:  
“So, uhh, care to dance?”

Jou winced for the eight time in as many minutes.  
What Hiroyuki lacked in talent, he made up for in enthusiasm.  
Jou pitied Yukuri already now.  
And growled, when his friend stepped on his left foot yet again.  
“Hiro! Resume position! This is waltz, _not_ the Macarena, so stop bouncing around!"  
Taking firm hold of Hiroyuki’s waist, Jou forced his pupil to stand straight and make eye contact, then counted:  
“Left-back-three, right-front-three, left, two-three, right, two-three-“  
A curt knock, as the door swung open, and in stepped a tall brunet with cold blue eyes and the demeanor of an aristocrat.  
Unisono, the three young men stopped mid-tracks.  
And then Jounouchi yelled “Seto!”  
leapt at his lover, threw his arms around this one’s neck and attempted to kiss the living daylights out of the CEO.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Enter my second OC, Kouta Yukuri -yeah, I know, what's with her first name? I just..I thought it sounded cool at the time. Waaaaaaaaaayyyy back when, when I first wrote this story. As for her looks..ehm, yeah, I know they sound familar, ne?  
Also, I figured Anzu would have forced Jou into dancing lessons, what with him being Kaiba Seto's boyfriend et all. Or maybe Seto insisted. Probably. More likely.

Here's a piccie of my OC's:  
https://www.deviantart.com/felidae5/art/Hiroyuki-Yukuri-780544555


	3. Not sufficient

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are back with song, _Vaya con Dios_ , to be more precise, with a hidden game off of their _Roots and Wings_ album. It's so..well, see for yourself.   
> Also, I will be leaving the original chapter numbers in, so you know where its place witin the entire series would be. It also make it easier for me to navigate and edit.
> 
> Felidae

32\. _Not sufficient_

_You’d start the fire  
I’d fan the flames  
We danced on a wire  
Poison running through our veins  
Who’s to bleed and who’s to blame_

_Blood and thunder  
Quick on the draw  
Putting me under  
Broken dishes on the floor  
Burning what we had adored_

_Well, you can call the dogs off, baby  
I don’t hate you anymore_

Hiroyuki felt rather left out.  
Not daring to disturb the two lovers, he seeked for a way to sneak out, but the only path lead past the reunited couple.  
Seto chose that particular moment to regain his composure(and breath) and, gently pushing Jou a little away from him, fixed his eyes on Gokasho.  
“So, care to introduce me to your friend?”  
“Nani?” mumbled Jou intelligently, honey eyes slightly glassed over, seeing nothing but his beautiful koi.  
Who rolled his eyes in exasperation and turned the blond around to face the third teen.  
“Oh, _him_ , sure. Seto, meet-meet..uhmm, Hi-Hira-Go-Ga-“stuttered Jou, mind clearly not in this dimension.  
“Gokasho Hiroyuki, douzo yoroshiku” finished the brunet as he bowed, then got a first good look at the other brunet.  
And did a double-take.  
“Kami, but you’re-you’re-oh my gods, you’re _Kaiba Seto_!”  
The CEO cocked brow.  
“So I have heard.”  
It was simply too much for poor Hiroyuki.  
Bowing again and again, until Jou feared his back would give out, the student babbled on and forth; how he had been watching the development of the DuelDiscs from day one, how much Kaiba’s technological prowess had influenced him, how he had always longed to meet him, the great Kaiba-sama, in person, and how grateful he was that kami had granted him this wish…  
The lovers stared at him, slightly unsettled. Kaiba bent over to his koi and rasped:  
“Is he always like this?”  
Jou sweatdropped.  
“Iieee, only when he goes into fan-mode. And it’s never been _this_ bad.”

_Always frowning, yeah!  
Cursing and howling  
Running battle  
Drawing guns and crossing swords  
Fighting cruel and hopeless wars_

_Well, you can call the dogs off, baby  
I don’t hate you anymore  
Yeah, we can bring the curtain down now, darling  
I don’t hate you anymore_

They managed to coax him out of Jou’s room, and Seto for a moment feared for his right hand, because he made the mistake of offering it to Hiroyuki, and this one almost shook it off in his excitement.  
Once alone, the lovers collapsed on Jou’s bed, just enjoying each other’s company.  
Finally, Jou smiled:  
“So, what brings you here? Aren’t you supposed to be on a business trip, or something?”  
“I am. Tomorrow.”  
The blond grinned, then said:  
“You could have called ahead, so I could have cleaned up first.”  
Seto shrugged.  
“I wanted to surprise you.”  
Pulling his koi to him, he nuzzled this one’s neck while asking:  
“So, care to tell me why the two of you were waltzing?”  
Jou, who was already busy trying to peel off his shirt, mumbled:  
“I’m training him for his first big date. He can’t dance and takes the best dancer in whole Toyohashi clubbing.”  
The CEO cocked a brow.  
“And that would be-?”  
“Kouta Yukuri of course. You probably saw her when passing the game field. She’s the tall, busty one with the brown pony.”  
Seto searched Jou’s face for a moment, making this one pause in opening the buttons on his shirt.  
“You don’t believe me.”

_And it ain’t no good  
No good fussing about it  
No good fussing about it  
Ain’t just no good  
No good fussing about it  
No good fussing about it_

Before the brunet could reply, Jou was off him and brought his clothes back in order, growling:  
“Kuso, I can’t believe you would go and do this.”  
Azure eyes narrowed.  
“Do what?”  
“This!” shouted the blond, gesturing at them both.  
“Coming to check on me. Seeing, if I’m the Trusty John I claim to be, or if I’m tomcatting! Do you trust me that little, to think I would hop into bed with the next best dude who happens to treat me like a human being?!? I may be a sex fiend in bed, but only when it comes to you! I swear, if anyone should even so much as _try_ to get sweet on you, I’d kick him to Mount Rishiri! As you said, you don’t share, and neither do I, _especially_ not myself!”  
Golden eyes burned with anger and ill-hidden passion, when Jou continued:  
“You know, Seto, loving somebody doesn’t only mean caring and thinking of somebody, but also trusting them enough to let them make their own mistakes. I know, that as president of Kaiba Corp, your life is constantly under a microscope, that’s why I tried to keep your identity secret. Guess, our cover’s blown now.”  
Facing away from his lover, Jou stared at the closed door and whispered:  
“You know, you _did_ surprise me by showing up here. I would have enjoyed your visit even more, if it had been for the right reasons.”

_You’d get suspicious  
I’d try to explain  
Bitter and vicious  
I would strike at you with rage  
Like a panther in a cage_

_You’d persecute me  
I’d seek revenge  
Always at each other  
Counting faults and keeping scores  
What was all that fighting for_

The silence was suffocating.  
Finally, Seto couldn’t take it any more and, rising from the bed, stepped behind Jou. Shyly trailing this one’s right arm with his fingertips, he rasped:  
“You..did that-for _me_? And-and I assumed..kami, I supposed, the reason people reacted so shocked to my appearing here was because they had not believed you telling them you were dating Kaiba Seto himself.”  
The soft rustling of cloth brushed Jou’s hearing, before two gentle hands forced him around to find-  
Seto kneeling before him, head lowered and a desperate, shameful look on the brunet’s chiseled features.  
Placing his hands before him, the CEO bowed deeply and choked:  
“I-I know, if have no right to, but-Jounouchi Katsuya, if you can-might..find it within your heart to forgive a foolish, jealous baka, I promise you to make amends. To-try to change-“  
“Don’t,” interrupted the blond, pulling Seto to his feet,   
“don’t you ever, _ever_ kneel before me or anyone else, am I understood? You are Kaiba Seto, and you are not meant to crawl, but conquer, wakarimashita? And about you changing…”  
His golden eyes captured and held Seto’s blue ones.  
“Don’t you dare to. Seto, do you think I would date you, if I didn’t love every single thing about you? If I couldn’t accept your flaws and quirks and errors, then what would my love be worth?”  
Pressing his cheek against the brunet’s, he added:  
“Besides, it’s not like I’m perfect either, ne?”  
The brunet smiled and, fisting a handfull of blond tresses, tilted Jou’s head back.  
“Correction. You’re flawless.”

_Well, you can call the dogs off, baby  
I don’t hate you anymore  
Yeah, we can bring the curtain down now, darling,  
I don’t hate you anymore_

“Oh, kami, Seto, harder, harder, _onegai_!” screamed Jou, as Seto pounded into him.  
The brunet bit into the blond’s shoulder, causing this one to gurgle in delight, before panting:  
“I stand-uhh-corrected-aah-you are-uhn-imposs-ibly loud!”  
At this point, Jou was way past caring.

_And it ain’t no good  
No good fussing about it  
No good fussing about it  
Ain’t just no good  
No good fussing about it  
No good fussing about it_

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

This is actually a milestone of a chapter; even though it seems overall not that significant. The importance and repercussions will pop up throught the story. And no, Seto didn't waltz into Toyohashi Daigakko in his full CEO getup. After all, this wasn't a business meeting.


	4. Don’t be the one to hurt me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprises, headaches and lemon, oh my!

33\. _Don’t be the one to hurt me_

 

There was no humanly possible way to remove _that_ grin off Jou’s face.  
It was not as if they didn’t try; between teasing, fierce interrogations and the inevitable fights, his fellow students gave rather good attempts at making the blond miserable.  
Alas, all actions proved fruitless, as Jou’s head remained firmly stuck in paradise.

It was not the sex(although that was partially a reason)or the surprise visit, but the fact, that Seto had actually swallowed his considerable pride and knelt down before him, begging forgiveness.  
And Jou was more than fully aware of the meaning of this act.  
Seto had shown, that he valued Jou enough to give the blond the one thing, he only deemed _himself_ worthy of: his trust.  
It was all and everything and far more than Jou could have ever hoped for.  
And he swore, to keep that most fragile of gifts safe at any cost.

Toyohashi University achieved a new, unwriten rule:  
If you want to live to see life a ripe and happy age, don’t make fun of Kaiba Seto.  
At least, not when Jounouchi was within the same prefecture.  
I was almost funny how the very same guy, who would suck up insults like a sponge and brush them off like a duck water, went near-homicidal when somebody even so much as lost a bad word about the CEO.  
Who was rather astonished, the following time he visited, that the students wouldn’t dare bother him.

“----“ Jou was baffled.  
Well, shell-shocked described it better.  
Because Hiroyuki had just broken the news to him first.  
“En-gaged? As in…getting married?”  
Yukuri blushed cutely and giggled, even as Hiroyuki pulled his jousei closer.  
“Hai, we set the date for June in two years, and it would mean a lot to us, if you would attend the ceremony as well. You will be coming, ne?”  
“Err…”   
Ok, so Jou was neither coherent nor decided. Smiling, Yukuri took the blond’s left hand and, clasping it into her own slender ones, added:  
“Onegai, Jounouchi-san, accept our invitation. It would be a great honor for both of us to count you among our guests.”  
Slowly, shakily, a warm, grateful smile crept across Jou’s features.  
“In contrary. _I_ would be most honored, to witness the happiest day of your lives.”  
Both fiancés blushed, as two pairs of equally shining green eyes locked.

Grinning like a madman, Jou descended the Shinkansen at 5.18 pm in Utsonomya Central Station, then ran all the way to the taxi stand. Managing to catch one’s attention, he slipped into the backseat and ordered:  
“Kihin Grand Hotel, kudasai, and fast!”  
“Hai.”  
Eight minutes later, Jou shot out of the cab, tossed a four-thousand yen into the driver’s hand and, without waiting for the change, rushed up the stairs and into the elegant hall.  
That’s when he finally tried to catch his breath, as he approached the information desk-  
“Sumimasen, Jounouchi-san. I did not mean to let you wait.”  
Smiling, the blond turned to Kaiba’s assistant and shook his head.  
“Do itashimashite, I only just arrived aswell.”  
Tightening the hold on his duffle bag, Jou followed the bulky man to the elevators, asking:  
“Is everything settled?”  
His guide nodded.  
“Yes, aside of the few.. _details_ you wished to take care of personally, everything is in place.”  
It was a good thing, the man did not see Jou’s face, when this one smirked:  
“Perfect.”  
He would have sincerely doubted the blond’s good intentions.

 

Exhaustion.  
And annoyance.  
And the mother of all migranes.  
Kaiba snarled, as he rode the elevator to the penthouse floor.  
This had been by far his worst birthday ever.  
Not enough that his stupid associate had to throw a ‘private party’ for him, no, he then had the audacity to invite the _press_ aswell.  
High-prized journalists, renowned publicists, but reporters nonetheless. Their only topic had been his relationship with Jou and how it affected him personally. He had never felt so embarassed in his life.  
Needless to say that Seto had long left the stages of pissed and enraged behind, was momentarily pausing at furious and if the smallest, slightest thing went wrong now, he would surely turn rabid, stark, hopping mad. Smashing the poor, innocent code key into the slot, Kaiba threw the door open -and fumed anew.  
Why the hell were the lights off?  
Turning the switch, his blue eyes scanned the generously dimensioned and intricately designed suite, then focused on the large double bed.  
And then his jaw fell through all forty-seven stories of the hotel.

Surrounded by maple leaves in all shades of autumn, right hand fixed to the bed with a black leather strip, left hand resting in his lap, loosely holding an emptied champagne flûte, Jounouchi wore nothing but a lecherous smile and sandelwood-scented body oil.  
“Kon-ban wa, koibito. See something you like?”  
He had not thought, it was even _possible_ to strip that fast, but Kaiba proved him wrong.  
Bypassing the greeting et all, the CEO dove on the bed, whisked away the glass and ravished Jou’s mouth before this one had even time to blink.  
Eyelids fluttered and closed over golden orbs as Seto kissed, licked, nipped and bit his way up and down Jou’s entire body, then paused at the blond’s length and, giving it a long, languid lick, growled:  
“I hope for you, you prepared yourself well, because the only thing I’m going to spend time on tonight is fucking you into oblivion and back again.”  
Jou shivered and purred as he spread his legs invitingly, guiding the brunet’s cock to his entrance.  
Seto kissed him, swallowing the somewhat pained grunt escaping the blond as he forced the tip of his manhood inside Jou.  
Slick, hot and tight; the CEO gasped at the feel of his member inside Jou’s body, before pulling out and trusting back in, soon picking up a quick, fluid, almost forcefull rhythm.  
Groaning, the blond bucked his hips, urging for more, knowing the brunet would understand and follow his request.  
Because there was nothing Jou loved more than to be taken hard and fast and as often as possible.  
And nothing pleased Seto more than doing exactly that.  
Only that the day’s activities had tired him out, somewhat..an idea flashed through the brunet’s mind.  
Pulling out of Jou, causing this one to actually _snarl_ in disappointment, he knelt and, turning him around, pulled Jou up, so the blond faced away from him.  
Large hands moved underneath the student’s thighs, spreading his legs as far as they would go, then Seto used his considerable strength to lift up Jou -and impale him on his member.  
The blond screamed in bliss, and the CEO swore, his own heart stopped for all but three seconds.  
Reaching around, Seto pumped Jou’s dick several times, until he could feel precum dribble down his fingers.  
Then he took hold of his koi’s thighs again, pushing him up and down on his swollen cock.  
Again and again, he drove in and out of Jou’s abused rectum, as the blond trembled, panted, gasped, cursed and clawed at anything he could reach.  
Finally, with a hoarse cry, Jou bent back and released his seed in a vast spray all over the sheets, the sight alone enough to pull Seto over the edge as well.  
Howling out his orgasm, the brunet ejaculated inside the blond, semen rivuleting milk-like out of Jou’s anus.  
And then Seto’s world went black.

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Heh, I had real fun writing this..not for the lemon -ok, also for the lemon- but mostly because I just love to see Seto shell-shocked. it happens so rarely in the show and manga, so I decided to treat myself with a little Kaiba jaw-drop.


	5. Perfect closure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little heart-to-heart and some more news...also, Seto displays a new..well..fascination. If you want to call it that. Oh, and Jou's being very season three in this, too.

34\. _Perfect closure_

 

It was the perfect pillow:  
Hard, yet surprisingly smooth and soft in all the right places, emitting warmth without being suffocating, it provided comfort and support.  
With a contented sigh, Seto hugged the pillow tighter.  
A soft chuckle drew his attention.  
“If I told anyboy, that Kaiba Seto loves to cuddle, they wouldn’t believe me” grinned Jou, one arm loosely around his koi.  
Frowning, the brunet replied:  
”If you tell anybody, Kaiba Seto loves to cuddle, I will kill you.”  
“Iie, not really, you love me too much for that” smirked the blond.  
Seto huffed resignatedly.  
“True, true. Still, I could maim you.” Jou’s laughter died down.  
“That’s not funny.”  
The CEO shrugged.  
“Of course not, but consider the possibilities: you would be forced to remain in bed, all ready and set for me to play with as I wish, when I get home.”  
He could feel the temperature in the room dropping a good forty degrees, when Jou stated:  
“As I said, that’s not even _remotely_ funny.”  
Blinking, the CEO rose his head from where it rested on the blond’s chest and gazed into his lover’s honeyed eyes.  
Hurt and betrayal and old, unresolved anger mirrored in those amber orbs.  
“Do you know, how many times my father beat me up so bad, I was forced to do _exactly_ that? When I was younger, I sometimes spent half my schooldays inside the house, crawling from my bed to the bathroom and back again, because my legs wouldn’t carry me. Trying to stop the blood from dripping on the floor, because that only would earn me yet another round of beating…”  
Jou’s eyes were set on something far away, tears brimming the brown orbs.  
Pulling the blond closer, Seto caressed this one’s cheek, kissed temple and forehead, nuzzled the neck and patted the golden tresses, before he rasped:  
“I…I am sorry. Gomen nasai gozaimasu, koibito, for being so..inconside-“  
“No,” Jou shook his head, trying to remove the cobwebs from his mind, “don’t be, you didn’t do anything wrong, I mean, how should you have known? Besides, it doesn’t matter, he can’t hurt me anymore.”  
A soft smile brightened his features.  
“They can’t hurt us anymore, ever again.”  
Closing his eyes, Jou reveled in the feel of Seto’s tender fingers gliding through his blond mop, then yawned:  
“On a different note; I decided to get a haircut.”  
Something in the back of his head told him, that this constant jaw-dropping wasn’t healthy, but Seto couldn’t care less.  
Instead, he drew a deep breath and shrieked:  
“ _Nani_?”  
Puzzled, Jou faced his lover.  
“Kamigata. You now, something different, a little shorter be-“  
“Don’t you _dare_!” roared the CEO, causing the blond to flinch and yelp.  
“Jounouchi Katsuya, if you ever even _consider_ cutting your hair, I will not let you seme for as long as you live!”  
Jou sweatdropped.  
“Great, I’m dating a hair-fetishist” he mumbled under his breath. Seto only glared.  
“Don’t be stupid, Jou. Do you have any idea how many people envy you for your hair? It’s soft and silky and healthy and glowing and..perfectly you.”  
The blond gawked at the CEO, who in return was lost marveling at Jou’s wild mane.  
Finally, Jou shrugged and agreed.  
“Fine. If it means that much to you, I’ll grow it out. I can still pull it into a pony, if need be.”  
A fierce, dirty grin settled on his face.  
“Now, about me being seme…”  
Flipping his koi over, the blond taught Seto how to _properly_ fuck somebody unconcious.

Whooping, Jou glanced at the board displaying the exam results for the first semester.  
He was among the best five of his grade, and the three best freshmen recieved a scholarship.  
It was not that he was broke, but the money from his house supported both his old flat over in Domino City(he occasionally rented it out to roygakusei*) and his student dorm.  
And even though he was legal now and received a better wage, his part-time job over at the bank didn’t pay out that much, just enough for books, food and the occasional visiting Seto and clubbing.  
So, it was back to studies.

 

The letter, or rather letters, arrived three days later.  
Jou quirked a brow at Honda’s near-indecipherable writing; either he had been in a haste or terribly upset, although Jou couldn’t think of a reason, his best friend would get into a frenzy-  
‘-decided to tell you, that Shizuka and I are dating for something over a month now. I know, you told me you wouldn’t mind if I went out with your sister, but I felt like betraying you-‘  
“Betrayal being the key word! Honto de! You are so dead, hentai! If I get my hands on you, there won’t be anything left to bury, you two-timing, back-stabbing bastard!” exploded Jou, as he crumpled the letter into a tiny ball and tossed it into a corner. Still fuming, he ripped open the one of his sister, quickly scanning it.  
‘-been very nice and kind to me. We went out while autumn holidays, he helped me with my homework-’   
“I can just imagine what kind of homework that is!” snarled Jou,   
‘-he showed me around Tokyo and we had even been to Yokohama.’  
The elder brother went into taifu mode, almost tearing down his dorm.  
‘I am still astonished, how someone so fierce and brave as Honda can be so shy and timid at the same time -he has not even tried to kiss me once! It’s almost as if he is frightened, or something. Funny, ne?’  
“No, it’s not, it’s-wait-he didn’t even try to...?”  
Jou read the last sentence again and again, then fell to his knees and bawled:  
“Oh my most trusted friend, faithful Honda, forgive your tomodachi for deeming you capable of such a deprived crime!”  
He quickly went in search of the brunet’s inscription and, upon finding it, tried to smoothen out the wrinkled paper.  
Then his eye fell on the third letter.  
It was from the principal’s office, and Jou’s mouth turned dry.  
Gingerly breaking the seal, the blond tried to fight the bad feeling settling in his stomach, as he pulled out the single, folded sheet and opened it.  
“Dear Jounouchi-san,” he read aloud,  
“-consideration of your remarkable efforts, blahblahblahblah, the comitee, yadda yadda yadda, disagreements..(?)fellow students, and agreed on giving you one year of _free scholarship_ , yes! Shouri! I got it, I can’t believe it, I got it! Whohooo!!!”

Many a student that night cursed the celebrating Jounouchi Katsuya six times to hell and back…

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Yeah, well, considering Seto keeps poking him cons...wait, ok, considering that Seto is encouraging him to give his best, he better had earned that scholarship. Also, I just love the way Jou gets completely unhinged at the news that Honda is dating Shizuka.

*ryogakusei: exchange student


	6. The tears that tore the silk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please welcome _The Them_ with their version of _Bob Dylan's_ _It's all over now Baby Blue_. You might want to keep your hankies in reach for this.
> 
> *~ means past happeings

35\. _The tears that tore the silk_

 

Outside, the snow fell in tiny, crisp flakes, but nowhere as fast or numberous as the salty pearls running down his cheeks.  
He couldn’t bring himself to do it.  
Rising his hand, he placed the blades of the scissors anew at the back of his head..and let them fall down again.  
It was no use.  
He just couldn’t find it in his heart to cut his hair.  
Even though he was not sure, if he still _had_ a heart anymore.  
Not after what had happened.

_You must leave now, take what you need, you think, will last,  
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast  
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun  
Crying like a fire in the sun  
Look out baby, the saints are coming through  
And it’s all over now, baby blue_

It was stupid really.  
But then, fights between lovers always are, ne?  
And the night had began so great:  
Seto had called to inform him that he had managed to wrestle himself free from duties for a couple of days, and had agreed on taking Jou dancing to Nagoya(there were a couple of really hot clubs Jou had heard of and was interested in checking out).  
The brunet had ushered a few worries about the blond’s studies, but when Jou had promised him that he would study twice as hard to make up for lost time, he had finally given in.  
Besides, what could it hurt?

*~To his utter surprise, Seto found himself enjoying the outing very much.  
Dancing almost hip to hip with his lover, the fast, erotic rhythm of the music made the fluttering touches and closeness that more exciting.  
And alluring.  
Jou dove in for another kiss, when-Seto’s cell phone rang.  
Blue eyes narrowed in fury as the CEO pulled the annoying item from his pocket and shouted into the speaker:  
“WHAT?”  
His blond koi winced at the harsh tone and counted himself lucky, not to be the caller.  
“I told you, this number is for emergency cases _only_ , and that I don’t want to be disturbed, unless it’s something concerning my brother or-“  
Seto stopped his rant, expression going dark and fierce.  
“Itsu ka?”  
He listened, then:  
“Do yatte?”  
Worried, Jou nodded towards the cell and mouthed: Mokuba?  
The CEO shook his head, then pointed towards himself, drew a circle with his index finger and pointed to the floor.  
Jou nodded in understanding: be right back, you stay here.  
Growling, Seto pushed past the dancers as he went in search of a quieter place.  
The blond kept on dancing, relieved, that obviously Mokuba was safe and sound.  
Still, what could have gone wrong, for his assistant to ignore Seto’s wish not to-  
A leg brushed provocatively against his.  
Blinking, Jou turned his attention to its owner, a man, only slightly elder than himself, with jet-black, red-spiked hair and several piercings in his left ear.  
Though good-looking, he was not the blond’s type. Besides, there was something..slimy about him.  
Giving him the cold shoulder, Jou turned away from the guy, just to be pulled around again.  
Somewhat irate, Jou tried to gain some distance from the obviously drunk man-and was caught in a vise-grip, as the other one attempted to force his tongue past the blond’s lips.  
With a snarl, Jou pushed the hentai forcefully away, wiping his mouth in disgust with the back of his hand.  
And then his eyes fell on Seto, who had been watching the whole scene.

_The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense  
Take what you have gathered from coincidence  
The empty-handed painter from your streets  
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets  
The sky too, is folding in over you  
And it’s all over now, baby blue_

His eyes literally flashed in rage, as he made his way towards his shocked lover and this one’s new flirt.  
Raising his voice to be heard over the loud blaring of the sound system, he shouted:  
“Is this why you wanted to come here? Because you wanted to check out some other guys? At least, next time have the decency to leave me out of your sick games, you- _uragirimono_!”  
“Hey, I’m not a traitor! I swear, he was the one who started it it! I tried to keep him away, but he just wouldn’t-“  
“Oh, _forgive_ me for not believing you, but from the looks of it, you were not putting up much of a resistance when he kissed you!”  
“That’s because he caught me off-guard! I was looking out for you-“  
“-So you would not be caught red-handed, ne? Too bad, that my call was shorter than you anticipated. Or actually, it was good, because now I finally know what kind of person you _really_ are, Jounouchi Katsuya!”  
Seto whipped around, heading for the exit, even as Jou attempted to follow. The black-and-red haired guy made the mistake trying to grab ahold of Jou.  
He spent the rest of the night in the ER, nursing his broken nose.

Jou caught up with Seto in the parking lot as this one was about to get into his car.  
“Matte kudasai!” yelled the blond, even as the CEO took place in the driver’s seat and shut the door.  
Leaning into the open window, Jou panted:  
“Wait, please..huh..let me explain-ugh..it’s..it’s all a--mistake…misunderstanding…”  
Elegant hands grabbed the steering wheel tight enough to turn the knuckles white.  
“I would advise you, to seek the fastest way to the station. It’s a long way back to Toyohashi.”  
He locked eyes with Jou one more time, and the blond’s breath caught in his throat, when he noticed the lonely tear rolling down Seto’s cheek.  
In a low, raspy voice, the brunet choked:  
“You can congratulate yourself, Jounouchi. You are the first and only person, who has managed to play me for a fool this well over such an extended period of time. Rest assured, I will not let it happen again. Ever.”  
With that, Seto started the engine and took off with screeching tires, leaving Jou standing there, not really comprehending, what had happened.  
And then the first snowflakes started falling.~*

_Leave your stepping stones behind, there’s something that calls for you  
Forget the dead you’ve left, they will not follow you,  
Your lover, who has just walked through the door  
Has taken all his blankets from the floor  
The carpet too, is moving under you  
And it’s all over now, baby blue_

He had somehow made it back to campus, though he had no idea how.  
The only thing he remembered clearly was Seto’s call the next morning, who had informed Jou, that he had forgotten his coat in the CEO’s car.  
He had already sent it forward by express, it would be arriving the same evening.  
Jou had tried to apologize, to explain, but Seto’s words, and, most of all his tone, had been final.  
He had no intention of making up or starting anew, whatsoever.  
And then he had hung up, just like that.  
It had taken Jou almost three minutes to tear his hand from the receiver.

_While striking on a match  
Go start anew, go start anew  
And it’s all over now, baby blue_

That had been two weeks ago, and he was still not better.  
That’s why he had decided to cut his hair, in an attempt to cut himself off of any painful memories.  
But he couldn’t, because nevermind how much it hurt, he could not let go of the one who had become such a great part of his life and, most of all, his soul.  
Closing the scissors, he placed them back on his desk, running his fingers through his wild mane.  
A flash, a snapshot from the past shot through his brain, when he remembered, how much Seto had loved and admired his blond hair.  
And try as he might, he would never get used to how hollow and meaningless his own touch felt.

_Hey hey heah,  
It s all over, it’s all over now, baby blue  
It’s all, it’s all over now, oh yeah  
It’s all over now, all over now, baby blue_

 

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I'm sorry, I'm sorry; but you knew from the very beginning that this was going to be an emotional story, ne?


	7. Lost and founds are not for lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is Seto's pov with what he recalls. Also the reason he stepped out is made clear. And a tiny little twist of fate -but read for yourselves.

36\. _Lost and founds are not for lovers_

He still kissed him good night, every single evening.  
It was a habit, a ritual really, he had taken up ever since he had made that picture of Jou, he was sure the blond didn’t even know about.  
It had been one one of those rare, beautiful early winter days, and they had made up at the park after high school.  
The late afternoon sky was still bright and silverblue, Jou wore a red coat and fitting scarf, golden tresses tousled by the wind.  
Kaiba had been waiting for him, but the blond had been too enthralled watching the children on the playground to even notice his lover.  
His heart still tightened, when he watched the expressions caught on Jou’s face: love, tenderness, longing, understanding, faithfulness, hope-there were too many to behold, and yet the blond’s eyes reflected all of them, untainted and pure.  
The CEO pressed the framed glass against his lips, then placed the picture back into his nightstand.  
For a moment, he felt better.  
And then the pain kicked in again.

Mokuba sighed.  
His brother had obviously drunk himself to sleep again, as he did so often since his break-up with Jou.  
It was ironic how the CEO, who could gobble down sake, beer, wine and wodka en masse, couldn’t hold his liquor when it came to scotch.  
He rarely finished the first shot before he was out like a light.  
That was probably the reason he drank it, so the alcohol would knock him unconcious before he had time to mope about his broken heart too much.  
Still, it wasn’t healthy.  
Sighing anew, Mokuba nudged his ani back into semi-awareness and helped him to bed.  
It took him a while to coax the elder teen into his pajamas and convince him of brushing his teeth(Seto had a killer breath the morning after consuming alcohol, both Jou and Mokuba agreed on that).  
Finally, the CEO was fast asleep in his four poster bed, his younger brother watching him in frustration.  
“Kuso, Seto, what happened? What went wrong between the two of you?” he muttered.  
The only reply he received consisted of a soft snore.

Seto felt..betrayed.  
How couldn’t he?  
After all, he had caught Jou making out on the dancefloor with some strange guy.  
The evening had been perfect, until his assistant had called to inform him of an embezzlement scheme going on under his very nose.  
Obviously, something had leeked through, and now the goverment had called in an investigation.  
Kaiba, always prepared for anything, even the worst case scenario, had ordered his assistant to give the federals a carte blanche, handing them any files they needed while he, Kaiba, tried to flush out the responsible one on his own terms.  
Convinced at having restricted the damage to a minimum, he had returned to the dancing area-and saw his koi in the arms of another, kissing fiercly.  
For a second, the room around him had gone into a spin, he had closed his eyes and opened them just in time to see the shocked look on Jou’s face.  
The blond had not counted on him returning this fast.  
He had been boiling with rage, hurt, betrayal and jealousy, a dangerously potent mixture, and took it out on Jou.  
This one’s haphazhard explanations and excuses hadn’t fooled him, he had known this was going to happen sooner or later.  
If only he hadn’t fallen for the blond, if only Jou had went to Osaka, if only he hadn’t agreed on going to that club-  
“Ifs and whens are for losers, it’s the here and now that counts” snarled the CEO, as he made his way past the main doors of the Kaiba tower.  
And in the here and now, there was a storm brewing on the horizont, capable of destroying everything he had worked for.

Five weeks.  
Five weeks had passed, and so far, they hadn’t gotten any closer to the culprit.  
Given, there were hints and trails, but nothing of substance, no proof.  
All they knew, it was one of the lower ranked directors and, considering the amounts of companies attached to or under his headmastership, it was nigh impossible to pin-point the guilty one.  
Not that Kaiba hadn’t tagged a mole on him, two ones actually, but the guy was as slippery as a wet fish, had more arms than a squid and was twice as cunning as a fox.  
Her knew exactly who were Kaiba’s snoops and evaded them with ease.  
The CEO growled, when he received the newest report.  
One of his moles had been moved again, obviously he had gotten a little too close to their prey.  
A cold, bloodthirsty light shone in his blue eyes.  
Kaiba was on the chase.  
And kami help those caught in the line of fire.

“Jounouchi-san, Jounouchi-san, report to the office, please.”  
The blond looked up at the speaker, then over to his fellow courier.  
This one only shrugged, then returned to his screen.  
Puzzled, Jou went over to his employer’s office, knocked politely and was called in.  
Upon entering, he saw his instructor sitting behind his desk, talking quietly to a man in a suit, Jou vaguely recalled to have seen before.  
Bowing, he waited to be adressed. He didn’t have to wait long, because his instructor rose his arms, as if welcoming a long-lost son, and grinned:  
“Jounouchi-san, the very man I have been looking for. Suwatte kudasai, make yourself comfortable.”  
To say, the blond didn’t trust the generous tone as far as he could spit, would have been an understatement.  
Then again, he needed the job…  
“Very well then. The reason I have called you here today, Jounouchi, is because I have been watching your progress over the past few months, and I must say, I am pleasantly surprised. This is the reason why you are being transferred to another location” informed him his instructor.  
Jou stared at the two men, then stuttered:  
“Re-relocated? But, Sir, my studies-“  
“-are in no danger whatsoever, Jounouchi. You will remain within Toyohashi, just in a different..shisha. You will be working directly within our parent company. Consider this a great honor, because it’s very rare that shoushinsha get such a chance.”  
“Hai, hai, a-arigato goizaimasu, sensei” babbled Jou, mind still reeling with the news.  
His instructor smiled as he passed him a thin folder containing a handfull of various, pre-printed sheets.  
“Very well then, I need you to sign here and..here. You will be informed about the date at which you must report at the inscribed place, wakarimashita?”  
Jou nodded, his focus on the letter head: ABAKI.  
And suddenly, he remembered from where he knew the man in the suit.  
His eyes roamed every single roman letter, then took in the kanji for ‘top’, ‘horse’ and ‘yellow’, before he whispered:  
“Anagram.”  
The other two men frowned.  
“Mou itte kudasai?”  
Jou only shook his head.  
“Nothing important.”  
But his insides churned, at fate’s occasional irony...

..at how he was fed with bits and pieces of vital information.  
His prey was playing with him, mocking him, insulting, publicly humiliating him.  
If Kaiba didn’t find him and fast, the Ministry of Finance Ordinance would freeze every single one of his accounts, rendering him broke.  
He would never let that happen.  
Though his innocence had been proven, the whole affair still left a mark on his good name and everything he stood for.  
Already, several investors had pulled back their offers, and if more followed..he didn’t even dare think about it.  
His only chance was another spy, a plant in the eye of the storm, one, no one would even notice or even less, consider.  
Yet, where to find-  
“Kaiba-san? Your plane awaits you.”  
Grimly nodding, the CEO donned his coat and headed towards the limo, which would take him to his private airport.  
Next station: Gifu.

 

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Yes, I know, at terrible word play...but it serves its purpose, ne?


	8. Polynesian riddle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the nooze tightens around Kaiba, the inevitable happens. The problem is, where to go from there?

37\. _Polynesian riddle_

The infamous Jounouchi luck had struck again.  
Not only was the new working place a mere ten minutes walk from the University, it also paid better -plus, he got a car to use for distant errands.  
Nothing special, a tiny little Mitsubishi, just big enough for him and four letters(if they were airmail), but still a whole lot better than the old bike he had used so far.  
And yet, there was a feeling of impending doom hovering in the back of his mind each time he entered the halls, knowing he was working in a branch of Kaiba Corp.  
Sometimes, he could have kicked himself for his stupidity.  
ABAKI.  
How could he have overseen _that_?  
Rushing up the stairs to the third floor, he placed the parcel on the secretary’s desk and was already halfway out the door, when she called him back:  
“Since you’re heading upwards, you can take this one here to the conference room and put it on the head counselour’s desk” she chirped, handing the blond a large manila folder.  
Jou huffed and complied.  
Riding the elevator to the top floor, he took the chance of resting a moment, letting the plans for the coming week rush through his mind.  
Alas, before he finished rescheduling Tuesday, he had reached his destination.  
Stepping out of the elevator and hurrying down the corridor, he paused and knocked at the large double door of the conference room, before he entered and passed the empty tables.  
And froze dead in his tracks.

What was he doing here?  
Wasn’t he supposed to be studying or attending lessons?  
It didn’t matter to him, Kaiba was still glad to see his blond ex-lover again.

Taking a deep breath, Jou shook off his trance and, closing the distance between them, muttered:  
“Su-sumimasen gozaimasu, Kaiba-sama, I-I was not aware, anyone was present. This room had been reported deserted…”  
Kaiba-sama…the familiarity of that honoration sent longing shivers up the CEO’s back.  
Trying to keep up a sense of modesty and professionality, Jou handed the folder over to the young president.  
“I..assume then, this was meant for you…”  
Their fingers brushed and then, Jou found himself pressed snugly against the brunet, kissing him for all it was worth.

“We are going to cause a scandal” panted the blond, as he was pushed backwards on top of the large desk.  
“Fuck scandals, I already got one big enough to make this one here pale in comparison” snarled Seto. Jou chuckled.  
“Yeah, sure, I can already see the headlines: CEO screws hired help. That surely would-”  
Seto stopped in his task of removing the blond’s shirt.  
“You are working for me? How come?”  
Shruggging, Jou replied:  
“I got transferred to here from my old working place. Nothing special, really, since I’m a courier…”  
Ok, now _that_ look was scary.  
Even for Kaiba.  
Because it meant, the CEO was coming up with the god-mother of all devious plans.  
And when the brunet practically purred:  
“Excellent”, Jou had to fight the urge to go in hiding.  
Straightening himself, Kaiba moved away from Jou and, rearranging his clothes, said in a cool, detached voice:  
“Pardon the..dishelving. Force of habit, I assume. Now, you said you were a courier, right?”  
Jou blinked. What the hell-? One minute, Seto was like some starving, horny sex-fiend, the next, cold as ice? But why..?  
“Ha..ii. I bring and deliver parcels, money, letters, files..everything they-you send me about.”  
The CEO nodded in satisfaction.  
“I want a complete list of every single file passing your hand. Time, date, place, sender, reciever, registration number, from the smallest note to the biggest folder, everything, am I understood? I expect a by-weekly report on my desk every Tuesday and Friday.”  
Jou’s mouth dropped.  
“By-week-? But Se-sir, my studies-“  
“-are of no concern to me, whatsoever. Now do what I pay you for, or you will be out of a job faster than you can spell your name, wakarimashita?”  
Gulping, the blond nodded, and Kaiba smirked as he made his way towards the entry. In the door he paused, and looking back over his shoulder, added:  
“Oh, and Jounouchi?”  
“Hai?”  
If there was a hopeful tone in Jou’s voice, the CEO chose to ignore it.  
“Do not let me down. Again.”

Jou couldn’t decide wether to cry, scream or curse, so he settled on simply balling his fists and swallowing down the tears.  
Damn, if he let the brunet play with his feelings again.  
But the moment had been just too..inviting.  
He swallowed again, this time to will down the erection Seto’s touch, his mere presence, had caused.  
True enough, old habits die hard.

And how hard they died, mused Kaiba, as he rode the elevator down to the lower floors.  
Still, Jounouchi’s appearance was a gift, an unforeseen bout of luck, if you wish.  
Every hunter needs a tracker, and who better to fit the role of his bloodhound than his former koi?  
Their break-up had long been made public by the press; if the embezzler even cared about the blond, he would no doubt assume, Jounouchi still held a grudge against the CEO, and try to turn him against Kaiba.  
Besides, couriers had free pass to just about anywhere, and with the info the blond would provide him, he was sure to catch the thief.  
As they say, desperate means need desperate measures.  
And nothing was more dangerous than a desperate Kaiba.

 

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And there are some things you don't do to your loved ones, even if they've broken your heart. Next update should be by Sunday/Monday, depending on how tings work out.  
Matta and a nice weekend!

Felidae


	9. Cinnamon and ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seto, Mokuba, a heart-to-heart between two brothers and some bad news. The younger Kaiba will not let Seto off the hook so easy.

38\. _Cinnamon and ice_

One year ago, on his eighteenth birthday, he had been the happiest guy alive.  
Funny, how a single year could change it for the worst.  
He had heard it over the news this morning; Kaiba had been freed of all charges, the traitorous vice-director was facing a trial, and Kaiba Corp’s stocks were skyrocketing once more.  
Everything had worked out well for Seto.  
So, why didn’t Jou feel like celebrating?  
Because the CEO had ordered, commanded him as if he were nothing but a simple paperboy, not deeming him worthy even to inform him that Kaiba needed his help in any way.  
Jou might have forgiven him that, probably it had even been for the better that he had not known he was a spy, but what he couldn’t stomach were the..touches.  
Everytime they met in private, each time Jou brought in his report and calmly refused to continue the list, Kaiba would give him that look that sent sparks of lust straight to his groin.  
Elegant fingers would reach out and absent-mindedly brush his arm, cheek or back, making his resolve shatter and crumble, as Kaiba whispered meaningless reassurements into his ear.  
How was he to say no? 

Signing the last contract, Kaiba took off his reading glasses and called it a night.  
Rubbing his tired eyes, he stood from his desk and was halfway to the door, when he noticed his brother standing in a corner, glaring at him.  
“Mokuba, what do you want?”  
The raven-haired boy just kept shooting daggers at him, before he replied rather piquéd:  
“I want you to go to Jou and apologize. Now. And then I want the two of you to make up.”  
Frowning, the elder Kaiba stretched and yawned:  
“Otouto, how often do I have to tell you: it’s over. I surely will not waste my precious time on that useless, stupid, annoying-“  
“Seto, you _lied_ to him. You used his feelings for you to get you out of trouble and didn’t even thank him! That’s, that’s-he doesn’t deserve that! Nii-san, how can you be so cruel? I mean, he is your boyfriend-“  
“Although it is beyond me why I should explain this to a child who has no inkling of what he’s talking about, let me set things straight: my boyfriend, as you like to put it, cheated on me. In public. With a complete stranger.”  
Seto paused.  
This was the first time he ever told anybody the story, to the media he had only said something about the difficulties of long-distance relationships and their tight schedules; explanations, that would not raise too many questions.  
Maybe it was time to get the truth off his chest.

“-can go to hell, for all I care!” slurred Jou, as he finished his second-or was it fourth?-Daiquiri.  
He had been allowed to leave work earlier than usual, had tried to learn for his trigonometry test, but then decided to step out for a drink.  
Though he didn’t even like alcohol, he just felt like having one.  
Besides, it was his birthday, ne?  
Luckily for him, Hiroyuki had decided to tag along, and when the barkeep asked if the blond wanted one more, the brunet refused to let Jou have another cocktail.  
Instead, he forced his friend to drink a black coffee, then helped him back to campus.  
Luckily, the chilling winter air sobered the blond up enough that they made it to his room without waking the entire student’s dorm, where Jou plopped down on his bed and was already asleep before his head hit the pillow.  
Hiroyuki pulled off Jou’s shoes and pants, before covering the blond with is blanket and exiting the room.  
Shaking his head, as he closed the door behind him, he rasped:  
“Kuso, Jou, and just when you were getting better..”

Mokuba was pissed.  
Hell, he was beyond pissed.  
Seto cringed, when his little brother threw a full-grown temper tantrum, something he rarely did.  
“-But no, the great Kaiba Seto does not ask questions, because the great Kaiba Seto knows _everything_ forehand, ne? Never mind the facts, he just knows! And then, to top it off, you even use him as spy, without him knowing it, put him in danger, but does he even get so much as a thank you? Noo, Kaiba Seto _never_ says so-“  
“Fine, _fine_ , you win!” roared Seto.  
“I will phone him tomorrow to express my gratitude. Now, is it too much asked for me to get some much needed sleep, or do you insist on a blood oath?”  
Mokuba crossed his arms and pouted.  
“Hmmph. Well, it’s a start. But if I were you, I would apologize first.”  
Seto grumbled some profanities about younger brothers, but decided to let it rest until he _had_ rested.

He awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of somebody trying to take down the entire mansion.  
Blinking, he gazed at his clock, which read 04.13 am.  
“What the-?”  
“Seto, Seto, wake up, onegai!” shouted Mokuba, who was pounding the CEO’s bedroom door with his fists, phone in one hand.  
“It’s some guy from Toyohashi, calling about Jouno-“  
“Kaiba” growled the CEO, who had come shooting out his room like a cat on fire and snatched the phone from Mokuba.  
“Ka-Kaiba-sama, ohayou gozaimasu, o-genki desu-“  
“Forget the pleasantries and tell me your name and the reason you woke me up at this time of the night.”  
“Su-sumimasen, Kaiba-sama, I’m Gokasho Hiroyuki, I doubt, you remember…”  
“I do,” interrupted Seto impatiently, “now, what was that about Jounouchi?”  
The man on the other end of the line sighed.  
“Yes, well, Jou’s in the ER of Toyohashi Community Hospital, and-well, it appears, he’s suffering from a serious case of acute alcohol poisoning.”  
“NANI?!?” bellowed Kaiba.  
Hiroyuki’s wince could actually be heard over the phone, when he explained:  
“Yes, well, I suppose, he had one drink too many, which isn’t surprising, seeing as today was his birthday…”  
Mokuba had never seen his brother’s face go so deathly pale.  
With a forced ”I’m on my way”, he hung up and, adressing his otouto, added:  
“Dress up, Mokuba, we are leaving in five minutes!”  
His little brother knew better then to ask questions.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
What goes around...please pick up your hankies for the next chapter, arigatou.


	10. Pepper and blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter comes bearing song; _Guns 'n' Roses'_ beautiful ballad _Don't Cry_ from their _Use your Illusions_ album. Another arguement, a further break-up and more sadness.

39\. _Pepper and blood_

Within the hour, the helicopter had overcome the two-hundred-and-something kilometers from Domino to Toyohashi.  
The fact that Kaiba piloted it himself only gave proof to his concern.  
Mokuba watched his brother closely, the entire flight an ’I told you so’expression on his face.

_Talk to me softly_  
There is something in your eyes  
Don’t hang your head in sorrow  
And please don’t cry  
I know how you feel inside, I  
I’ve been there before  
Something is changing inside you  
And don’t you know

There was a short, radioed arguement, because the hospital refused to let Kaiba land on the roof.  
Finally, they agreed to permit him a place on the parking lot.  
Kaiba was out the vehicle, even before the rotor blades had slowed down, and raced for the main entry, forcing Mokuba to run as fast as he could to catch up with him.  
Striding directly to the information desk, Kaiba pinned the poor nurse down with his trade-marked, cold look.  
“I am looking for Jounouchi Ka-“  
“Kaiba-sama, over here!”  
The CEO turned his head direction the voice and saw Gokasho rushing towards him. Bowing, Hiroyuki greeted the taller brunet respectfully, before he nodded to the nurse:  
“It’s ok, he-they’re with me. This way, please.”  
Walking the Kaiba brothers towards the staircase, the student explained:  
“I’m not really sure, what happened. As far as I know, Jou had returned earlier from work and then decided to celebrate his birthday.”  
At this, Kaiba stiffened a little.  
“So we went to a bar next to campus, Jou had a..couple of cocktails, I’m not sure how many, because I had..stepped out and then made a phone call. Still, I couldn’t have been gone for more than ten minutes, but, well....”  
The CEO nodded.  
“I know how fast Jounouchi can consume a drink.”  
Hiroyuki gave a wry smile.  
“So desu, you, however, I brought him home-sort of-and just as I closed the door, I heard him..uhmm, being sick. So I went back inside and…he was shaking-literally-with a fever, although his body was cold. He started hyperventilating, sweating, babbling, frothing at the mouth-everything. I was..terrified, called the ambulance and they brought him here. They said, they wanted to keep him here until tomorrow-luckily for him, we got Saturday, so at least he won’t miss any lectures.”  
Stopping at a double bed room, Hiroyuki sighed:  
“While rinsing out his stomach et all, they found out that Jou had barely eaten the past few days. He lost a lot of weight, and is in a really bad condition. Try not to upset him too much, ne?”

_Don’t you cry tonight_  
I still love you baby  
Don’t you cry tonight  
Don’t you cry tonight  
There’s a heaven above you baby  
And don’t you cry tonight  


Despite the warning, Kaiba was shocked at the sight he met:  
Jou’s usually plush cheeks were hollowed, dark bags circled the closed eyes and his normaly tanned complexion had taken on a pale, sickly-yellowish hue.  
Seto couldn’t believe it, the last time he had seen the blond, eight days ago, he had seemed fine, if not somewhat tired.  
A punch, a very soft one, but a punch nonetheless to his left side shook him from his trance.  
Mokuba glared at him, blue-grey eyes brimmed with tears.  
Never tearing his sight from his angry otouto, Kaiba rasped:  
“If you would…give us a moment in private, Gokasho-“  
“Mochiron, take your time. Come, young Kaiba-san, let’s see if we can find some breakfast, ne?”  
Mokuba followed the student out the room, but not without a last, warning stare at his nii-san.  
Seto gazed at the closed door, then took a deep breath.  
“Why did you come?”

 _Give me a whisper_  
And give me a sigh  
Give me a kiss before you tell me goodbye  
Don’t you take it so hard now  
And please don’t take it so bad  
I’ll still be thinking of you  
And the times we had…baby  


Gingerly, Kaiba pulled a chair next to Jou’s bed and, seating himself, stated:  
“Hiroyuki informed me. My private number is listed among the emergency case numbers in your adress book.”  
Jou shifted a little, never opening his eyes, then croaked:  
“Guess, I have to update my adress book then.”  
It hurt. Not that he didn’t deserve it, but still..it hurt. Clearing his throat, the CEO asked:  
“Now, would you tell me why you tried to drink yourself to death? If this is about your birthday, I apologize. It has been a long day, and it slimply slipped-“  
“Don’t bother. That was only the tip of the iceberg.”  
Amber flashed, and Seto gasped at the accusation burning in Jou’s eyes.  
“You _used_ me. You never once cared enough about me to think how it made me feel, when you told all those lies to me. There was no need to.. _seduce_ me into helping you, I would have done so happily, if you would have kept it on a strict business level. You-“  
“I was concerned about your health, the less you knew, the less you were-“  
“endangered, arigato gozaimasu, Seto, but I figured that out on my own, and you know, that’s _not_ what I’m talking about!” yelled Jou, not caring if anybody heard him.  
“You could have just said ‘Listen Jounouchi, I need those informations, they are of tremendous importance to me, and if you do not comply, I will have you fired within the hour. Do not ask questions, I am not willed to provide you with answers for your own safety. I trust you to fulfill your mission according to my expectations.’”  
Seto gawked at the perfect imitation the blond had made of him, but before he could comment, Jou snarled:  
“Instead, you used all those filthy litte tricks; the looks, the caresses..you knew, I couldn’t resist you, when you turned on your charm, and you had your fun, enjoyed every second of it, knowing you held so much power over me. That’s what it was to you: a game, a play to test out your supremacy, watching me squirm and break under your hands…”  
Swallowing hard, the blond rasped:  
“Did you enjoy it, watching me fall? To shatter my heart piece by piece and throw the shards back into my face? Was that all I ever was to you, a _plaything _? Because that’s how you made me feel, every single time, as if I were some..tool.”__  
This time, he couldn’t stop the tears, and Kaiba reached out to wipe them away, only to have his hand slapped away.  
Forcing himself to remain calm, he mumbled:  
“You know very well, it is not like that, Jou. I might have been angered about your..unfaithfulness,” he stopped Jou’s coming intervention with one raised hand,  
“but I never promised you anything, wether my forgiveness nor that we would be together again. I did _not_ deceive you.”  
The blond only snorted.  
“If your actions had been _correct_ , we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Now get out.”

 _And don’t you cry tonight_  
Don’t you cry tonight  
Don’t you cry tonight  
There’s a heaven above you baby  
And don’t you cry tonight

“Pardon me?”  
Kaiba couldn’t remember the last time he had used such an icy tone with the blond, but he was beginning to grow mad.  
Jou pulled the blanket over his shoulder, as he turned away from the CEO.  
“You heard me. Fuck off.”  
Crossing his arms, the brunet hissed:  
“Not before you told me the truth about what happened that night at the club-“  
“I tried to tell you every single detail over and over and over again, but you just didn’t bother listening, because you were too soaked up in your own hurt pride to pay attention to what I told you!” exploded the blond.  
“It’s always the same with you, Seto, you see something, you want it, you get it, and then you want to keep it forever! That’s not how it works, you have to let go of things, and most of all, people! We’ve been at this point several times, and still you don’t get it! You can’t _own_ people, and least of all me! And I’m sick and tired of you always being so obsessive and opressive and, and…”  
Sobbing, Jou clutched the sheets, tears streaming down his face.  
“I..can’t. I’m sorry, Seto, but I can’t take this anymore. Not now, not ever. Onegai.”

 _And please remember, that I never lied_  
And please remember  
How I felt inside now, honey  
You gotta make it your own way  
But you’ll be alright now, sugar  
You’ll feel better tomorrow  
Come the morning light now, baby

The CEO couldn’t even speak.  
Every single one of Jou’s words had cut into his heart like a knife.  
Was he really so evil, such a monster, as his former koibito described?  
For a moment, Mokuba’s hurt gaze came to his mind, and he realized, that probably, the perfect man had made the perfect mistake.  
Tenderly reaching out with one hand, Seto tried to pat Jou’s shoulder, but the crying teen shied away from the touch.  
Had he been uncertain of where they stood before, he now knew for sure, that it was over.  
For good.  
With a silent goodbye, Seto left Jou on his bed and alone with his pain.

“So, basically, there would be an eighty-five percent-Kaiba-sama!” exclaimed Hiroyuki, who had explained Mokuba the differences between various kinds of flashlights.  
The raven-haired teen shot up from his seat, relieved to have escaped the torture..when he saw the look on Kaiba’s face.  
“Seto..?” he asked timidly, but his elder brother only shook his head.  
Facing Hiroyuki, he bowed slightly and said:  
“Arigato gozaimasu for informing me, Gokasho-san. I am certain, you will take good care of Jounouchi-san, ne.”  
The astonished shorter brunet nodded fiercly, even as Kaiba turned to his younger brother and sighed tiredly:  
“Ja, Mokuba. Let us go home.”

 _And don’t you cry tonight_  
An don’t you cry tonight  
An don’t you cry tonight  
Theres’ a heaven above you baby

 _And don’t you cry_  
Don’t you ever cry (oh cry)  
Don’t you cry tonight  
Baby maybe, someday  
Don’t you cry  
Don’t you ever cry  
Don’t you cry

_Tonight_

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No, I don't like to put Katsuya into hospital beds, but Seto is sometimes so thick-skulled he seariously needs a skillet up his head to hammer in matters of the heart.


	11. Respective loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celestial intervention..or in this case, meddling friends and siblings, to reunite two estranged lovers by any means possible. Well, perhaps not _any_ means, since we're talking about the Kaiba kyoudai, here...

40\. _Respective loss_

 

One buried himself in his studies, the other one in his work, and both were miserable.  
So much though, that come March, Mokuba decided to take matters into his own hands.  
After several phone calls and a couple of rearrangements, one Saturday night -Seto was attending a business dinner- he managed to assemble Shizuka, Honda, Hiroyuki and Ryou in the Kaiba’s library(Yuugi and Otogi both had to study for semi-finals and Anzu had her first big performance in less than two weeks).  
Clearing his throat, the raven-haired boy announced:  
“Kon-ban wa, minna-san, and thanks for coming. I suppose, you all know the reason for this meeting, ne?”  
“Hai, to bring our brothers together again!” chirped Shizuka, as the others expressed their agreement.  
“Right. Ok, I think, all of us agree that this two belong together, because-because-“ Mokuba trailed off, grasping for words.  
“-because seperated they are incomplete” stated Honda.  
“Unhappy”, added Ryou.  
“Disillusioned”, offered Shizuka.  
“Downright listless” concluded Hiroyuki.  
With a grim nod, Mokuba went on:  
“Now, the question is, how to bring them together again? I mean, I know it’s nii-san’s fault, and so does he, but he’s just too stubborn to admit it or say sorry.”  
Shizuka conceded:  
“Hai, and Jou is too hard-headed to give in, when he’s right.”  
Everybody sighed.  
“So, what should we do? I mean, we can’t just lock the two of them in a room and wait for the outcome” groaned Hiroyuki.  
There was a short silence, then Honda mused:  
“Ja, perhaps it may even work, ne?”  
Smirking, as the others gave him incredulous stares, he continued:  
“Well, as you know,” he shot a glance at Hiroyuki, “or most of you, Yugi’s birthday is in three weeks and we, meaning Otogi, Anzu and I, planned to throw a bash. It will also be part a belated birthday party for Jou and a come-together with the old gang, that’s why we decided to rent my father’s clubhouse.”  
Ryou blinked.  
“Your father owns a _clubhouse_??”  
Honda rolled his eyes.  
“Yes, and an onsen in Morioka.”  
“It belongs to my father’s enterprise, but they rent it out cheap to employees and their family members.”  
A collective “ooohhh” sounded through the library.  
Honda grinned.  
“There are ten bedrooms in this house, eight single and two double, right next to each other, with a shared bathroom in the center. Of course, the siblings will room together-but we all know, how easily keys go misplaced, doors confused…”  
Mokuba shook his head.  
“Iie, that’s so obvious, both Jou and Seto would ring our necks for considering them that gulli..ble…”  
Blue-grey eyes narrowed in thought, then focused on Honda.  
“Are there going to be any hard drinks at the party?”  
The brunet shrugged.  
“Sure, aside of you and Shizuka, everyone present will be legal. Doshite?”  
A grin, more suited a gremlin or oni, blossomed on Mokuba’s face.  
“Perfect.”

“Aaand-Otogi’s _out_!” exclaimed Anzu, as the dice-duelist sagged together in his chair, barely concious.  
Witch left Honda, Seto and Jou pitched against one another.  
“I’m still having doubts about this,” whispered Shizuka to Mokuba,   
”coaxing the guys into a drinking contest? I know, it’s for the greater cause, but yet…”  
Mokuba shrugged and smiled reassuringly at his elder brother as he poured him another scotch-spiked tequila. In the dim light and dark-tinted shotglasses, it was impossible to tell if the liquid was clear or brown.  
Besides, after the eigth shot none of the guys could discern wodka from rum -to Jou’s demise.  
And then Honda let out a belch, sounding very much like a dying walruss, and went down, face-first.  
“Tie!” cheered Anzu, a little too enthusiastic for someone who was supposedly sober.  
“Let’s call it an even and declare both of you for winners, ne?” decided Yuugi, who had, wisely enough, not joined the game.  
Seto only glared at Jou, who gave a derisive snort.  
“Not likely!”  
“Over my dead body!”  
With that, both downed their glass, although the CEO looked like he was going to throw up any second and Jou’s face shifted from a tipsy red to a slightly unhealthy, greenish color.  
Both men coughed and gagged, and then, slowly, bonelessly, Seto slid from his chair and onto the ground.  
A split-second before the brunet’s head made contact with the floor, Jou caught him.  
Struggling and panting, he managed to lift Seto onto his arms and, wobbling dangerously, slurred:  
“Whu-wher’sh’is roo’?”  
“Second to the right” tweeted Mokuba, even as the others smiled in glee.  
This was simply too easy!  
Taking one uncertain step after another, Jou somehow hauled the unconcious Seto into the mentioned dorm and onto the bed.  
For a moment, he stood there, swaying from side to side, then his brown eyes rolled back into his head and he joined the CEO on the orange comforter.  
Neither one heard the door shut closed and lock.

 

“Please, somebody shoot me right now” croaked Seto, as he awoke with a pounding head.  
“Shut the fuck up, ‘m sleepin’ here” slurred Jou, who tried to kill the swarms of mad hornets wrecking havoc in his skull.  
Groaning, the brunet pulled himself into a sitting position, then placed his poor head into his hands.  
“I need a painkiller” he growled.  
“And a toothbrush” mumbled Jou.  
Seto considered throwing the pillow at the blond, then decided to use what little energy he could bring up to find a Prozac or anyhing else to fight the hangover.  
But first he made his obligations to the porcelain god.

Fifteen minutes later -Seto’s stomach had finally stopped revolting- Jou came stumbling into the bathroom, naked, and headed straight for the shower.  
He closed the curtain and turned on the cold water.  
“Ow! Bloody fucking son-of-a-bitch, chikushou…” curses filled the air and attacked Seto’s sensitive ears, as the icy fluid battered the blond’s body.  
Just when the brunet thought he couldn’t take it anymore, out stepped Jou, water running down his delicious frame, drawing the CEO’s attention.  
Grabbing a towel, the blond shot Kaiba a dark look.  
“Don’t even think about it.”  
“Been a while.”  
“Up yours!”  
“You wish!”  
“No longer.”  
Jou had found the painkillers, popped two of them into his mouth, then let the package fall into Seto’s lap. Taking a few sips of water, he swallowed the pills and made his way back to the bedroom.  
Quickly slipping into his clothes, the blond attempted to walk out the main door-and found it locked.  
“What the-?“ he snarled, then rattled at the knob, before giving up.  
Turning around, he stomped past the confused CEO and took hold of the second bathroom door’s handle -to find it in the same condition.  
With a frustrated roar, he gave the hardwood frame a kick, before turning to Seto.  
“Would you believe me if I told you, that our dear siblings and oh so trusted friends locked us in?”  
“Nani? They wouldn’t dare-!”  
Alas, as the brunet found out, they had. And it didn’t take a genius, to figure out why.

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Heheheheeee, scheming siblings are worse that plotting enemies...


	12. To a future we never had

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this one is..kinda..funny..and..disturbing. And weird. Yeah, weird fits it best. It's nothing graphic or so, just..yeah, you've been warned.

41\. _To a future we never had_

“When I get out of here, I will provide each and everyone of them with a slow and painful death, my brother _not_ excluded!”  
Jou plopped on the bed and muttered:  
“Whatever. As long as you do it quietly. My head’s still throbbing.”  
Rolling until he came to rest on his back, he rubbed his hands over his face, moaning:  
“I can’t believe, we actually fell for the eldest trick in the book. _Especially_ me!”  
The CEO furrowed his brow.  
“I fail to understand…”  
Jou smirked.  
“Ja, last but one summer, we had a party at Yuugi’s house. There was enough booze around to fill up both Honda and Otogi, until they were out cold. Then we stripped them bare -Anzu had already gone home- and locked them into Muuto-san’s bedroom. Luckily for us, he was at a convention or something, I don’t remember. What I _do_ remember are the looks on their faces, when they discovered the ‘used’ condoms we had filled with milk and the cucumber. The _mutilated_ cucumber.”  
Azure eyes widened.  
The brunet’s shoulders shook.  
And then Seto burst out laughing, just to clutch his head in pain, but didn’t stop his chuckles.  
“Kami, Jou, are you trying to kill me? A cucumber?”  
Jou nodded, trying to contain his grin and failing miserably.  
“We-we placed a camera in the bedroom and got the whole thing on tape -it was twice the fun, when we told them two weeks later.”  
Bellowing both in laughter and pain, the brunet joined the blond on the bed.  
“Oh, yeah, and Ryou had also somehow produced this whip-lash out of nowhere, though I think it was Yuugi’s idea.”  
He was going to die, he just knew it, but still he couldn’t help it; the images flashing through his poor, hurting skull were simply hilarious.  
Gasping, he turned to face Jou.  
“And-and what was _your_ input in this devious little plot?”  
The blond turned beet red and mumbled something unintelligible. Seto’s eyes bulged.  
“Mo itte..?”  
Jou cleared his throat.  
“I said, a-a rubber ducky, a bowl of whipped cream, about a dozen or so leather belts and a chocolate-covered candle.”

“What are they saying? What’s going on? Are they fighting?”  
“Anzu, be quiet, I can’t hear anything, if you keep on asking” hissed Mokuba, one ear snug to the closed door.  
Next to him stood Yugi and Ryou, listening intently on the happenings inside the room.  
Shizuka, who had managed to bring a rather disgruntled Honda to join them, hushed anxiously:  
“I heard them laughing, but now everything’s quiet. Do-do you think, they’re all right?”  
Yawning, her boyfriend stated:  
“As long as they’re not yelling, everything’s fine. Call me again when they start fighting.”  
With that, the brunet turned around and headed back to bed.

Seto was rendered speechless.  
Finally, he croaked:  
“Jounouchi Katsuya, you are one _sick_ individual!”  
The blond smirked and, crawling closer, rasped:  
“I have never once heard you complain about my little fantasies -or games.”  
His nose almost touched Seto’s, there was a faint spark of energy passing between them -and then the two young men shied away from one another, realizing what had almost happened.  
A couple of minutes, both only sat there, lost in their own thoughts, until Jou broke the silence.  
“Where did we go wrong?”  
The CEO snorted.  
“You cheated on me on an outing. With a-“  
“Oh, knock it off, already! That was not my fault, if if you had ever bothered listening, you might have even realized that. But since you had it all figured out forehand-“  
“Now I know, why we broke up, because you can’t take responsibility for your acts and faults! You always try to weasle yourself out of situations you brought upon yourself with your own inconsiderate behavior!” barked Seto.  
“No, you know what our problem was, or rather, is? You _really_ wanna know?” yelled Jou.  
“Go ahead, tell me, if you have the guts to do so!” shouted the brunet.  
Fuming, Jou screamed:  
“You don’t trust me. Even after I proved myself to you over and over again, at the first doubtful incident you were ready to drop me like the proverbial hot potato! You never gave me the chance to tell you my point of view or even grant me the benefit of the doubt! How can you claim to trust me, if you don’t believe a word I say?!? If you don’t believe the sincerity of my feelings?”

Honda winced.  
“Good you woke me. This is betting nastier by the minute. If the tune doesn’t change within the next, let’s say, five to ten minutes, we’ll have to separate them by force.”  
Everybody sighed, as they saw their plan backfiring.

The CEO seethed with anger.  
“I never doubted your feelings, but your actions! A man in my position cannot be too careful, I thought you had understood that by now!”  
“Oh, stop dishing out _that_ excuse, it’s so lame, it should be shot! I wasn’t the one who came waltzing into college after I tried to keep your identy secret for a good three months, so don’t accuse me being a blabbermouth! Don’t you think I would have loved telling the whole school that I’m dating Kaiba Seto?!? And why didn’t I do it? Because outside of Domino, barely anyone knew, and that’s how I wanted to keep it, for your sake! I know how much you hate paparazzi, and I thought to keep you safe from them, as best as I could!”  
“Yes, only that as usual, your best wasn’t _good enough_!”

On the other side of the door, eight pairs of eyes widened in shock.  
And then everybody went into a fit, trying to find the keys to the bedroom.

He knew that look on the blond’s face.  
It had been a while since he last saw it, but he remembered it all too well.  
Pure, unrestrained rage.  
Seto didn’t even had time to brace himself, when Jou pounced on him like the proverbial cat and, fists blazing, roared:  
“I’m going to _kill_ you, you fucking son-of-a-bitch!”  
He got in at least four good punches, before the CEO managed to wrestle Jou off him and rammed his elbow into the blond’s stomach as they both shot off the bed.  
Jou grunted and dealt out a kick towards Kaiba’s head, which this one blocked with ease. Giving the leg an extra shove, he spun the blond around and, pinning one arm behind this one’s back, caught him in a headlock.  
“Kousan shite,*” he growled, “I’m stronger and far more skilled than you.”  
Panting, Jou snapped:  
“Yeah, that may be, but I know how to fight-”   
he went boneless in Seto’s grip, catching this one by surprise; as the brunet had to adjust his point of balance to accommodate the sudden weight shift, Jou hooked his left foot underneath Seto’s and, throwing himself to the right, brought down both of them.  
Instinctly, Seto rolled to dampen the force of impact -and realized his mistake a split-second too late.  
Jou twisted out of his hold and used his own momentum to make sure, he landed soundly on top of the CEO.  
His right arm jammed underneath his body, his left arm controlled by Jou’s hand and his legs immobilized by the blond’s limbs, Seto found himself effectively pinned.  
“-and most of all, I know how _you_ fight” ended Jou his sentence, a feral grin on his face.  
Then he sighed and, clasping one hand over Seto’s mouth, stated:  
“Well, seeing as how you are forced to listen to me, I can use this chance to tell you what really happened…”

“-Shizuka gave it to Ryou, who gave it to Yugi, who gave it back to Ryou,” recollected the younger Kaiba.  
“Then Honda took it, lent it to Yukuri for a moment, got it back, and before the drinking contest gave it to-“  
Mokuba’s eyes turned towards the second double bedroom’s door, that had remained closed as of yet.  
 _“-Hiroyuki?”_  
Sweatdropping, the gang decided wether or not to disturb the student and his fiancée, who had disappeared soon after dinner.

To his credit, Seto felt like ripping his own heart out, along with his throat.  
Sadly enough, in his position, the only thing he could do was to bang his head repeatedly against the hardwood floor.  
Jou watched him a few moments, then said worriedly:  
“Ara, you know, that’s not healthy-“  
“Shut up, I got brain cells to spare, and since I’m obviously not using them, there is no harm done!” snapped the CEO back.  
Just as his cranium was about to meet the ground again, a strong hand stopped his motions.  
Glaring up at Jou, he was rather surprised to find the blond smiling down at him.  
“Nani? Why did you-“  
“Because I love every single one of your neurons, every brilliant synapse. I love watching you take over companies faster than other people can pour themselves a cup of tea. I love seeing you put snobby politicians, arrogant businessmen and patronizing attorneys into their place without even blinking. Never mind how much I try to deny it, I still love you.“  
The brunet felt his throat tighten, when Jou pressed his cheek against his own, then rasped:  
“You mean..I’m forgiven?”  
Jou’s breath tickled his ear.  
“Tabun.”+  
Seto frowned.  
“On what?”  
He shivered, when he felt Jou smirking.  
“If you know the right words.”

Gokasho Hiroyuki blinked tiredly at Jou’s imoto, trying to comprehend, what she wanted.  
“Please, Gokasho-san, we need that key. It was a mistake to-“  
“Kami, JOU!!!”  
Shizuka’s jaw dropped, then the girl turned strawberry and hushed:  
“Nevermind.”

 

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Hey, if I get to torture Seto and Jou, why not the rest of the gang? And my readers, while I'm at it, too?^^

 

*Kousan shite: give up/desist/surrender  
+Tabun: Perhaps/maybe


	13. Doing things so bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More song and *sigh* _Pala Abdul_ , everybody, with her first big hit _Opposites Attract_. Let's..not talk about it, 'kay?
> 
> *~past happenings

42\. _Doing things so bad_

It took a while for the others to get over the shock hearing Kaiba scream in ecstasy.  
Four times in a row.  
And then Jou stepping out of the room, dishelved, wearing nothing but his pants and the smugest grin since Dshinghis Khan, saying:  
“Twenty-two minutes and fourteen seconds until he reached outer space-a new personal best.”  
Mokuba had offered the gang a group therapy.  
Needless to say, everybody had gladly accepted.

_Baby seems we never ever agree  
You like the movies and I like TV  
I take things serious  
And you take them light  
I go to bed early  
And I party all night_   
_Our friends are saying  
We ain’t gonna last  
Cuz I move slowly  
And baby I’m fast_   
_I like it quiet  
And I love to shout  
But when we get together  
It just all works out_

“No, I fail to see the reason why I should give a statement about my relationship with Jounouchi. No. And do not make me repeat myself.”  
Scowling, Kaiba cut his PR-manager off.  
As if he would willingly agree on anything this imbecile adviced him to.  
He always fared best when he did exactly opposite to what the counselor recommended.  
The soft rapping from the door managed to smoothen out the sharp angles of his face, when he called:  
“Irasshaimasu.”  
Blond bangs peeped around the edge of the door, and Jou chuckled.  
“Honte de, you are rather careless, ne? Just telling people to come in without identifying themselves forehand?”  
The CEO smirked.  
“Aibou, if you got past the security, you have been considered as no threat to my person or company. If any different, you would find yourself in prison faster than you can devour a yokan.”  
Sauntering closer, Jou argued:  
“Mou, but what if you had thought it was me knocking, and it had been your assistant? Or, even worse, your secretary? What would you have done, if she had found you like this, bare-chested, fly open, the ‘come hither’ look…?”  
Seto grabbed Jou’s wrist and, suckling on this one’s palm, growled:  
“I would have given her a raise to shut her up.”

_I take-two steps forward  
I take-two steps back  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract  
And you know-it ain’t fiction  
Just a natural fact  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract_

Ordering dinner always led to an arguement.  
“Soba!” roared Kaiba.  
“Ramen!” held Jou against.  
“Soba!”  
“Ramen!”  
“Soba!”  
“Ramen! We had Soba last night, so what’s wrong with Ramen?” shouted the blond.  
“Soba are far more nutritious, not to mention healthy, than those limp noodles you prefer!”  
“Guys, guys, come one, relax!” pleaded Mokuba, sweatdropping.  
“How about ordering Udon-“ the raven-haired boy clasped his hands over his mouth, realizing his mistake. Alas, too late, because Seto glared at him, then screeched:  
“Are you attempting to make me _sick_?!?”

_Who’da thought we could be lovers  
He makes the beds  
Ad he steals the covers  
He likes it neat  
And he makes a mess  
I take it easy  
Baby I get obsessed_   
_He’s got the money  
And he’s always broke  
I don’t like cigarettes  
And I like to smoke_   
_Things in common  
It just aint a one  
But when we get together  
We have nothing but fun_

The vacation was as short as it was beautiful.  
Sauntering over the beach, Jou suddenly broke into a dash and shouted:  
“Last one to the beachhouse is a rotten egg!”  
“Jou, be careful, the sand is-“  
“Whoaaa- _sploooosh_!”  
“Slippery” concluded the CEO.

_I take-two steps forward  
I take-two steps back  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract  
And you know-it ain’t fiction  
Just a natural fact  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract_

With a desperate leap, the sophomore snatched the receiver off the hook, before the caller had a chance to hang up.  
“Toyohashi Daigakkou, you have reached the west wing of the student’s-“  
“Get me Jounouchi Katsuya on the phone.”  
The student’s face lit up.  
“Ahh, Kaiba-sama, o-genki desu ka? I’m afraid, Jounouchi isn’t avaiable at the moment-“  
“Are you mocking me?” came the CEO’s voice over the reciever, cold enough to freeze off the poor sophomore’s ear.  
Stuttering, this one explained:  
“Iie, never, it’s just that Jou is having his exams today-actually this entire week and, well, he asked not to be disturbed, unless something drastic happened, and-well, you know..hehehee…”  
There was a short pause, then:  
“Wakarimashita. Tell him to call me back if he finds the time.”  
Sweating, the student assured the CEO to inform the blond the very moment he met him.  
He was still bowing to the phone, long time after Kaiba had hung up.

_I take-two steps forward  
I take-two steps back  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract  
And you know-it ain’t fiction  
Just a natural fact  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract_

Mokuba knew he was in trouble, but couldn’t help the laughter.  
“Not funny, you know” growled Jou, and Seto nodded.  
Very carefully, that is, save the heavily decorated black wig toppled over and blocked his sight.  
“And why am _I_ the girl?” hissed the brunet, trying to wipe away the make-up covering his face and only managing to smudge it in the effort.  
Mokuba only shrugged, suppressing a giggle.  
“Because the dress fit you better.”

~*He found the couple out cold at the edge of the swimming pool, the sleeping pills he had smuggled into the couples’coffee more than sufficient to render them unconcious, until he was done with his task.  
After the.. _birthday_ incident, the entire gang had decided, that playing a prank on the noisy lovers was the least they could do to re-establish their sanity.  
Providing Mokuba with the needed material, the group had layed the execution of their plan into the younger Kaiba’s hands.  
It had been quite a task, slipping his elder brother into the padded bra and frilly lace dress Yukuri had lent him.  
Luckily, both guys only wore their swimming trunks, but still it was a struggle, especially since Seto was halfway sprawled across his lover, Jou’s face buried into the CEO’s chest.  
Donning the blond with the rocker’s outfit wasn’t that easy either, especially the boots(Mokuba sometimes wondered about Honda’s sense of style-or lack off, therefor).  
Plus, the hair gel made Jou’s long tresses disgustingly slimy and greasy.  
Finally, when the couple was back in their original position, Mokuba went to get his ace card.~*

“I am terribly sorry, Mokuba. Really, I am. Here I was hoping, that some day you might be leading Kaiba Corp along with me. Sadly enough, this future is no longer yours to behold. Does the term rigor mortis ring a bell?”  
Cracking his knuckles, Seto slowly rose from where he sat, trademarked scowl firmly in place.  
Jou made a big show of flexing his neck and shoulders, as he too approached the raven-haired boy.  
This one only grinned.  
“I doubt, the two of you would inflict harm on me when you’re being filmed, ne?”  
Seto froze mid-step, even as Jou paled.  
“You wouldn’t” rasped the CEO.  
“You didn’t” croaked the student.  
Mokuba only jerked a thumb towards the camcorder resting on the table behind him…

_Baby ain’t it somethin’  
How we lasted this long  
You and me  
Provin’ everyone wrong  
Don’t think we’ll ever  
Get our differences patched  
Don’t really matter  
Cuz we’re perfectly matched_

His new stereo, set on a random radio station, was blasting full power, when he stepped out of the shower, soaking wet.  
Starting summer holidays, he had moved back into his small flat, glad to have escaped college for a while.  
Especially, because Seto was going to pick him up in -thirty minutes.  
‘ _Balla Balla_ ’ blared out of the speakers and Jou, bobbing his head in rhythm to the song, dried himself off and wiggled into a pair of black silk briefs, before claiming the towel once more and rubbing his blond hair feverishly.  
The wet cloth flew into a random corner, as Jou started playing air guitar, imaginating his digits flying over the strings of a bright blue Yamaha.  
His hips shook, his shoulders rolled as he moved, headbanging, through the tiny appartment, completely lost in the song.  
With a final “oooooh, balla balla!” he slid across the floor on his knees, came to a stop in front of the main entry -and stared up into Seto’s highly amused face.  
“Uhhh…” Jou blushed, then cleared his throat and asked:  
“Ja, how long have you been-standing there, watching?”  
The CEO grinned.  
“Long enough to realize, how different our taste in music is. And that I hopefully will never understand.”  
Seto chuckled a little, even as Jou felt like crawling into a hole and dying of embarassment.  
He knew it had been a mistake to give the brunet his spare key.  
“On the other hand, since you _are_ in such an.. _inviting_ position,” elegant fingers glid through Jou’s still humid mane, blue eyes glinting with mirth and lust,   
“how about giving me a blowjob?”  
Someday, Seto would have to explain his koibito the difference between a rhetorical question and a request.  
But not tonight.

_I take-two steps forward  
I take-two steps back  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract  
And you know-it ain’t fiction  
Just a natural fact  
We come together  
Cuz opposites attract_

 

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With a nod to Bob Seger; you might recognize Tom Cruise's dance scene from _Risky Business_ , here. Also, I don't think our two lovers will take this little prank without payback, ne?


	14. You’re pretty when you smile

43\. _You’re pretty when you smile_

“Setooo.”  
The brunet groaned.  
He was busy trying to host a take-over between three different companies and Jou was sprawled on the bed behind him, twisting and bucking and mewling like a horny cat.  
Driving his fingers through his chestnut tresses, the CEO sighed:  
“Not now, onegai, Jou, I have to concentrate on this meeting, or everything I have been working on for the past three months will be nil. Just-give me ten more minutes, ok?”  
Instead of an answer, there was a soft rustle of cloth, and then Jou stood next to him in full glory, left hand resting on the back of Kaiba’s seat, right one on the desk, and let his gaze shift over the screen.  
To say the view was..distracting, would have been an understatement.  
Seto was positively drooling when he took in his lover’s concentrated look, the tan, glowing skin, lean body and errect member.  
Reflexively, the brunet’s tongue snaked between his teeth, as if trying to catch the single drop of precum threathening to dribble down Jou’s cock.  
“Keep the shop rights and make sure all priority owner joint assets are yours, then you can offer them 86’000 Yen a share and still come out over the top.”  
“Huh?”  
Ok, _that_ was first one for Seto, and Jou shook his head.  
“Chuusei’s stocks are dropping, and despite their continuously growing market presence, it’s only a matter of time until it all comes crashing down. You’re their only save way out, so be sure to let them know it.”  
Scowling, Kaiba tore his sight from the blond and started typing like wild.  
A few moments later, he rasped:  
“Kuso, Jounouchi, how did you know?”  
Abruptly, he stood from his chair, glaring at his lover.  
“When did you learn about Chuusei’s financial debacle? How-how come you know anything about marketing and-“  
“Oh _please_ ,” the blond rolled his eyes, “we had to do a project on market research and corporate-oriented management. So I thought ‘hey, if you’re with the best there is, why not learn from him?’ Of course, I changed the names et all, but sensei was still pleased and gave me an ‘A’.”  
Jou stretched languidly, and Seto had to fight the urge to grab and leave bite marks all over him.  
“It’s not as if I wouldn’t pay attention, when you’re complaining or bragging about Kaiba Corp, you know?”  
There was a short silence, and then Seto snapped:  
“Get on that bed, _now_ , so I can pound you senseless, Jounouchi Katsuya!”

Some forty minutes later, Jou slept cradled in the brunet’s arms, exhausted and thouroughly satisfied.  
Although he was equally tired, Seto detached himself gently from the blond and rose.  
He staggered over to his desk and, flipping open his cell phone, opened a drawer in his desk and took out a sealed enveloppe.  
“Akagi? Yes, I have decided about the changes -no, I am absolutely sure. Hai. Never mind the status, yes -I am very well aware of that, _I_ am the one who wrote it after all. Indubitably. Hai. I expect it tomorrow on my desk-yes, I _am_ aware that it is past twelve now. Your point being? Hn. I thought so. Sayonara.”  
Tossing the phone back onto his desk, the CEO stalked back to the bed, shaking his head.  
“Attorneys” he mumbled under his breath, snuggled into Jou’s embrace and was fast asleep, before he knew it.

“Shizuka, _please_!” begged Honda, but his girlfriend only laughed harder.  
Finally, she caught her breath and gasped:  
“Go-gomen nasai, aibou, but-but this is simply too funny!”  
Honda only growled in frustration and embarassment, as he opened the letter he had received along with the humiliating photography(the picture showed a twelve-years old Hiroto clinging to a dive-board, swimming trunks well below the knees, a desperate, teary look on his features).  
Scanning the page before him, his face lit up, then he started grinning and finally broke into open laughter.  
Shizuka gave him a puzzled glance.  
“Nani?”  
Honda’s guffaws grew even louder, as he handed the brunette the letter. The girl read it, then paled and finally went beet red.  
“Oh no, nii-san, how _could_ you!”  
Indeed, how could her elder brother tell her boyfriend that on her first visit to the National Museum, when she was barely four years old, she had gotten so frightened by the Bunraku puppets, she had actually left a little puddle on the floor? And ran screaming for her mother, when she caught sight of the oni masks?

 _“Muutou Yuugi!”_  
The aforementioned flinched at the tone in his grandfather’s voice as he came rushing down the stairs.  
Sugoroku Muutou stood there, ordering sheet in one hand and a stern look on his normally gentle features.  
“Would you care to explain _this_ to me?” demanded the elder man, even as Yuugi crossed his eyes in order to read the inscriptions.  
He blinked, read again, then almost fell over backwards.  
“I-I-I never ordered that! You must have confused our shop with the store down the road” he stuttered, flabberghasted.  
The delivery guy only shook his head.  
“Iie, says here, twelve copies of Urushihara’s ‘Love’, three copies of ‘La Blue Girl’, director’s cut, five ‘Bondage Faries-The Collector’s Edition,’”   
at this, Sugoroku cringed and shot Yugi a dark look, who had gone almost deathly pale,   
“and one life-sized inflatable ‘Teeta’ doll, complete with her ‘Plastic Little’ uniform. Paid in advance and to be delivered as soon as possible, Kame Game Shop, Domino City, signed, Muutou Yuugi.”  
Both men blinked in confusion, then the elder Muutou asked:  
“Matte, matte kudasai, it has already been paid in advance?”  
The delivery man nodded.  
Sugoroku frowned.  
“We never pay anything in advance that has to be ordered by piece. _Especially_ rarities. To easy for someone to slip in a cheap fake.”   
Yuugi nodded in agreement.  
“Hai. But if _I_ didn’t order it, and you surely did neither, then who-?”  
A suspicion rose in the duelist’s brain.

Normally, students of the opposite gender were not allowed in the respective dorms, but one look at Kouta Yukuri’s face made every male student and teacher decide to let it slip for once.  
Fuming, the tall brunette reached her destination, drew back her right leg -and kicked the door in front of her open.  
“Hiroyuki Gokasho, come out so I can give you the beating of your lifetime!”  
Her fiancé, who was sitting at his desk reading a textbook, stared at her as if she were a being straight out of hell(considering the rage apparently displayed on her features, he was probably not so far from the truth).  
“Ara, Yukuri, wha-?”  
“Explain _this_ to me, you ecchi bastard! How _dare_ you?!?” she screamed, as she tossed a crumpled, soft black something into his face.  
Confused, the student picked the item from his head, unfolded it -and his jaw dropped.  
“So tell me, what were you thinking, when you sent me this négligée?”  
Pinching his nose to prevent the nosebleed caused by the image of his jousei in the sinfully cut silk, Hiroyuki shook his head.  
“I swear, I didn’t send you anything! Although now I wish, I had...” he added quietly.  
Yukuri glared at him, then shoved a note under his nose.  
“If it’s not from you, then why did you put this in, heh?”  
Hiroyukui’s eyes flew over the note, even as he grew more and more puzzled.  
 _‘Dearest Yukuri, _’ it read, ‘ _whilst on my way home, I passed a lingerie shop and saw this in the window. It reminded me so much of you, I just had to buy it. I hope you like it, because I am sure it perfectly suits you, my most beautiful shouyousei.*  
With love eternal ~Hiroyuki._’  
Gokasho read the note a second and third time, then folded the letter and stated in a gravely tone:  
“Somebody’s going to die for this.”__

__“For the last time, I’m _not_ going to do it! I have no idea who put up that note-no, it’s _not_ from me, so stop calling!”  
Bakura Ryou was fuming.  
So much, though, even his yami considered it was saver to stay in his soul room.  
Obviously, somebody had considered it funny attaching a note to the schools’ blackboard with Ryou’s phone number on it, reading ‘will translate Japanese adult movies into English and vice versa for free.’”  
His phone had not stopped ringing for three days straight, and Ryou vowed to himself to let Bakura have a little..fun, with whomever was responsible._ _

__Mokuba was..horrified, to say the least.  
“You.. _can’t_ be serious” he whispered.  
Seto only gave him a regal gaze.  
“Of course I am. Starting next Monday, you will be transferred. It’s only a test phase, one month, to see how you like it. After that, you can still decide wether or not to remain there.”  
His otouto moaned.  
“But Seto, a _boarding_ school!”  
“-Is exactly the thing you need. I have been cuddling and pampering you far too long, and this caused this whole..distasteful event.”  
Mokuba crossed his arms and pouted.  
“Sheesh, you really can’t take a joke!”  
Kaiba frowned.  
“Mokuba, you joined forces with Jou’s friends and sister in order to humiliate both of us. Today it may be a simple prank, but what about tomorrow? A plot to take over Kaiba Corp, as I did? I am _not_ questioning your loyalities, but,”  
he folded his hands and rested his chin on them,  
“you must realize, that I am not only your elder brother, but also your legal guardian. And as either, I can expect a certain amount of respect from my otouto, ne?”  
Mokuba studied the floor, shuffling his feet. Seto gave him what might have been considered a soft smile.  
“Don’t be upset, Mokuba, I’m doing this for your best. You are old enough to learn to take a certain responsibility for your actions. Besides, it’s only one month, weekends and holidays not included, which you will be spending at home. With me. And you can phone me, whenever you feel the need to.”  
The raven-haired teen mumbled something profane under his breath, then sighed:  
“Monday it is then, ne?”  
His elder brother nodded, and Mokuba wished him a goodnight, listlessly trudging out the office.  
Several minutes passed, and then Jou stepped in from the balcony, where he had been hiding.  
“You are _truly_ evil, Kaiba Seto. How can you pull such a prank on your own brother? Making him believe he’s being sent to boarding school, when in real he will only be hosting the opening of Kaiba Land’s newest attraction. And here I was thinking, what you did to Yuugi was cruel.”  
Jou pondered a second, then mused:  
“Ok, what I did to Honda, Shizuka and Ryou wasn’t _that_ nice either.”  
The CEO only cocked a brow.  
“Well, considering Mokuba stuffed me into a dress and coated my face with make-up…”  
Chuckling, the blond sat on the edge of the large mahogani desk.  
“You know, you actually looked very cute with the lipstick and eyeshadow-“  
a death glare was directed towards him,  
“-although they weren’t really your color.”  
Seto only hmped, even as Jou leaned in for a kiss.  
Once they managed to break apart, the brunet whispered:  
“And Ryuji-?”  
“Has been taken care of” purred Jou, as he let his fingers glide down his lover’s chest, unbuttoning the shirt in the process._ _

__Ryuji Otogi stared at the ‘Ohayou Ousaka Kouman’.  
Then he let out an inarticulate scream and fainted dead away, his hands still clutching the University’s newspaper.  
On the front page was a picture of him, next to the headlines, reading:  
‘Ryuji a fake!’  
Underneath, the article began with the words:  
‘According to reliable resources, Ryuji Otogi’s famous black hair is a wig.  
The informant, who wants to remain anonymous, stated:  
“I always thought, y’ know, it’s the real thing. That was until after that one party, when he was completely drunk, and just -tore it off. It was scary, really.”  
Until the time this issue was printed, Ryuji had yet to confirm or deny this grave accusation…’_ _

__

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...I just realized, rereading thia, that I'm a arather vengeful person. Hm. Might want to look into that, one of these days... and yes, the titles/series Seto sent Yuugi are among the great classic Japanese adult anime and manga._ _


	15. Fluid elegance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once more, give applause to 'Mr Slowhand' _Eric Clapton_ and his classic _Wonderful Tonight_. What better song than to lead to the inevitable.

44\. _Fluid elegance_

Smoothing out his already perfect outfit, Seto growled.  
He hated doing this to his lover, but he had to attend the welfare dinner tonight.  
And since everybody knew about his relationship with Jou, they had insisted on him coming along.  
Dreading the hordes of reporters surely awaiting them, the brunet called out:  
“Jou, are you done already? You know I hate being late, especially when the press is waiting!”  
“So desu, ne. How do I look?” asked the blond, as he sauntered out of the bathroom.  
His lover only gawked, then snapped his mouth closed and croaked:  
“Jounouchi Katsuya, if you’re not in the car within the next five minutes, I’m going to fuck you through the _wall_!”  
Two minutes and eightteen seconds later Jou was savely buckled in his seat.

_It's late in the evening, he's wondering what clothes to wear  
He picks out a blazer, and brushes his long, blond hair  
And then he asks me, "Do I look all right?"  
And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight"_

The blond was nervous, Seto could tell by the way he squirmed in the black leather upholstery.  
Shifting the gear, he drove the red Jaguar down the freeway and asked:  
“Wondering, wether or not they are going to approve of you?”  
Jou, shaken from his trance, turned to look at Seto, then gave a vague smile.  
“Yeah, pretty much.”  
Seto smiled reassuringly.  
“Don’t be. I mean, you are smart, charming and drop dead gorgeous. Ho could they _not_ like you?”  
Staring out the window, the blond only nodded absent-mindedly.

_We go to a party, and everyone turns to see  
This beautiful young man, that's walking around with me  
And then he asks me, "Do you feel all right?"  
And I say, "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight"_

The entrance of the Osaka Conference Center was swarming with people trying to steal a peek at the celebrities floating past them.  
Jou frowned.  
Seto squeezed his hand, whispered: “knock them dead, koi”, then gave him a quick kiss before leaving the expensive car.  
Immediately, he was bathed in flashlights, even as a young woman in a red two-piece shoved past the other reporters and yelled:  
“Kaiba-san, I’m Oumu Keshou from NHK, and would like your statement abou the rumor, that you will be attending tonight’s Children Health Charity Banquet along with your boy- _kami-sama_!”  
Turning around, the CEO replied:  
“My sentiments exactly.”  
Indeed, the being descending the Jaguar and shutting the door closed could easily been mistaken for Apollon himself:  
Shoulderlong, golden hair was tied together in a ponytail, held back by a simple string of black leather.  
Plain white silk shirt, black pants and dress shoes, short, blood-red coat with black collar and fitting red scarf-Jou’s whole attire seemed destined to compliment him in any way possible.  
For five seconds, everything was quiet-and then all hell broke loose.  
Microphones, cameras, cell phones and what not more were pushed into his face; everybody tried to catch a glimpse of the man who had claimed Kaiba Seto’s heart, completely forgetting about the CEO.  
Jounouchi watched the ruckus for a while, amusement clearly on his face, before raising both hands and shouting:  
“People, people, _please_!”  
Sure enough, the reporters went quiet, and Jou fixed his gaze on the camera lenses.  
“I got but _one_ thing to say:”  
Everybody, including Seto, held their breath, when Jou gave his trade-marked grin and stated:  
“No comment.”  
With that, the blond brushed past the stunned press, hooked his brunet lover under and sauntered with him through the main entry, never once looking back.

_I feel wonderful, because I see  
The love light in your eyes  
And the wonder of it all  
Is that you just don't realize, how much I love you_

Once the upper crust of Osaka had decided, that Jounouchi Katsuya more than met their high expectations, the couple breathed a sigh of relief and could finally start enjoying the evening.  
Smoothly, unerringly falling into each other’s rhythm, the two young men easily took undisputed reign of the dancefloor.  
It was well past two am; the larger part of the caterers had left, and the few remaining were too busy discussing poilitcs and business to take much notice of Kaiba and Jou, when the blond frowned and steered Seto, still dancing, to a more secluded area of the ballroom.  
Soft, blue eyes gazed questioningly into amber ones.  
Clearing his throat, Jou rasped:  
“Kaiba Seto, do you remember what I told you, one year to the day?”  
Tilting a brow at the use of his full name, the brunet smirked:  
“You mean aside of ‘harder, Seto, harder’?”  
Jou groaned, even as his lover chuckled.  
“If I recall, you said I was not meant to crawl, but conquer.”  
The blond nodded.  
“Yes, you are. And you have. You conquered my heart and soul, Seto, and there is but one thing I can do about it.”  
Kaiba’s azure orbs widened in disbelief, when Jou went down on one knee and, taking hold of Seto’s left hand, whispered:  
“Kaiba Seto, I know, whatever I may do or achieve, will _never_ be enough for or worthy of you, but -Seto, would you grant me the honor of taking me for your spouse?”  
His mind reeled, his blood rushed through his veins, his heart raced, and then Seto heard his own voice from far away saying:  
“Yes. Yes, I will marry you, Jounouchi Katsuya.”  
The smile he received from his lover, now fiancé, wiped away any lingering doubts he might have had.  
Slowly rising, Jou produced a tiny cask from his pocket, opened it and slipped one of the rings resting on the dark velvet cushion on Seto’s left ringfinger.  
The brunet wondered about the perfect fit; it was a simple, silver band, and only when looking closely, one could make out the tiny sapphire embedded into the center.  
“Your turn.”  
Gingerly, Seto took hold of the second ring and, taking a closer look, had to supress a grin:  
On the inside, there was a REBD engraved, along with the kanji ‘Seto & Katsuya’.  
Locking eyes with the blond, Jou nodded.  
“It’s a BEWD, if you’re wondering. And a ruby.”  
Smoothly, the ring glid over Jou’s digit, the blond giving a quiet, lust-filled moan.  
For a while, the couple entangled and released their fingers over and over again, until Seto asked:  
“Katsuya?”  
The blond rose his head, then choked:  
“Hai?”  
Seto had to fight his own tears, when he saw the few happy ones rolling down Katsuya’s cheek, and whispered:  
“Let us go home. Katsuya.”

_It's time to go home now, and I've got an aching head,  
So I give him the car keys, and he helps me to bed  
And then I tell him, as I turn out the light,  
I say, "My darling, you were wonderful tonight  
Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight"_

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	16. Considering the things I did

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Musing, reactions and siblings, oh my!

45\. _Considering the things I did_

He must have been out of his mind.  
Whatever drove him to propose to the CEO?  
And at a public event, nonetheless.  
He thanked his lucky stars, there had been no reporters present, so at least their engagement was still a secret.  
Staring listlessly into his cup of Ramen, Jou mentally counted his budget and sighed.  
He had spent every single spare yen he had(and a few thousand he didn’t) on the outfit and rings, to make himself presentable for his koi.  
The decision to make the brunet his husband had been settled the moment they had made up(well, actually when Seto howled Jou’s name like a prayer, as his second orgasm hit home).  
Smiling at the memory, Jou let his eyes travel over the silver ring adorning his finger, then nodded, once, slowly.  
There was no regret, no remorse.  
Well, aside of the fact, that he would be living solely on cup noodles for the next couple of weeks…

He must have been out of his mind  
Whatever drove him to accept the blond’s proposal?  
And with the Osaka elite of business people present as well.  
For good luck, the press had left before Jou had lured him into that corner, otherwise the paparazzi would be swarming his house and office.  
Staring dreamily at his screen, Seto recalled how breathtaking his koi had looked, and then his blue eyes fell on the simple band of silver.  
He took it off and inspected the engravings once more:  
Surprisingly delicate in its detail, the BEWD had the kanji Katsuya&Seto savely caged between its fangs.  
Just by looking at it, the CEO could tell that Jou had designed it himself-which meant, having it crafted must have cost a small fortune.  
That the blond would go to such expenses for him, struck a chord in Seto’s heart.  
Donning the ring he knew, saying yes had been the best choice he had ever made.

Mokuba pinned his elder brother down with his look, until this one put down his chopsticks and asked frustrated:  
“Nani?”  
The younger Kaiba’s eyes narrowed, before he pouted:  
“You yet have to tell me about the ring. So, what’s the meaning behind it?”  
Seto only tilted a brow.  
“Since when does Jou need _your_ permission to present _me_ with a gift?”  
Mokuba pursed his lips.  
“As far as I know, his.. _presents_ usually consist of some kinky sex game or technique that has the both of you screa-“  
“MOKUBA!”  
“Besides, this ring looks quiet expensive. It’s not the kind of thing you give an aibou out of a fling. And it’s another month to your birthday. So, you gonna spill, or do I have to find out myself?”  
Considering the methods his otouto sometimes used to reveal his secrets, the brunet decided it was healthier to give in.  
“Katsuya and I are engaged.”

“MO ITTE?!?”  
Jou winced at his imoto’s loud shriek.  
Shizuka had decided to pass at her brother’s University on the way home from Tokyo, where she had visited Honda.  
Of course, her female sense of perception had drawn her attention immediately to the jewelry Katsuya wore.  
And try as he might, he couldn’t convince her that it was merely a token of love coming from the CEO.  
Sighing, Jou pushed the younger girl back onto the chair where she had been seated and repeated:  
“I proposed to Seto at the welfare dinner party and he accepted. We are going to get married, as soon as we feel the time has come to do so.”  
Shizuka only gawked at her nii-san.  
“And I would be very grateful, if you didn’t tell anyone, because you know how much Seto despises reporters” concluded Katsuya.  
Shizuka just kept staring, until Jou grew worried that her eyes might go dry.  
He tapped her lightly on the shoulder, and she drew a deep breath, before she yelled:  
“How could you keep something like that from _me_?!?”  
Clasping his left hand into her two little ones, she continued:  
“We have to start with the preparations immediately! What kind of ceremony do you think, would be fitting? Western or-no, I rather traditional is more your style and Seto’s both-but tuxedos, perhaps! Who is going to be your best man? Oh, and of course, I’ll be bridesmaid, along with Anzu and Mai and-do you think, o-kaa-san would like to come, too?”  
Katsuya sweatdropped, as his sister went into overload, grabbed paper and pencil and sketched out the menu and flower arrangements for his big day.  
Watching in horrified fascination, how Shizuka began putting together the guest list, he mumbled under his breath:  
“Oh kami, what kind of monster did I unleash..?”

He was going to suffer for a long, long time to come.  
After he had given him the ‘you unfaithful elder brother’ speech, Mokuba had taken place behind his computer and browsed the net for decent suits and wedding kimonos.  
Rubbing his temples in frustration, the elder Kaiba tried to ignore the dozens of printed sheets spread on his expensive blue office carpet.  
Obis, blazers, smokings, pants, shirts, shoes, vests, coats, ties..the list went on and on.  
And Seto’s migraine kept growing in direct proportions.  
“Ja, I think I found something” cheered Mokuba, as he came in with yet another four or so pages.  
“Of course, it would take a few..alterations, but I’m sure, you would like it.”  
He handed the aforementioned picture to Seto, who inspected it and grimaced.  
“Are you trying to get back at me for making you believe I would be sending you to boarding school?” he growled.  
Mokuba blinked, then smiled.  
“Iie, if I would try to get back at you, I would force you to wear- _this_!”  
Seto gave the blue-brown-grey atrocity one level gaze, then said in a grave tone:  
“Mokuba?”  
“Hai?” grinned his otouto.  
“You are grounded for the rest of the week.”

 

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*smirk* Nope, no kidding, there is a blue-bron-gre wedding suit..I stumbled across it when researching in what I'd want our bishies to tie the knot...it was..scarring.


	17. Loss of light, gain of grief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cold, a sneeze..and suddenly everything is up to chance. Odd, how little..inconviniences can turn our lives upside down and make a given future an uncertain possibility.

46\. _Loss of light, gain of grief_

“A-TCHOOM!”  
Seto gave his koi an exasperated look.  
“Katsuya, I really think you should consider resting. You have been carrying this cold for quite a while now, you obviously have a slight fever and it does not help for you to be out with this weather, never mind your job.”  
The blond sniffled, then croaked:  
“Awww, id de big bad DEO worried about hit lover?*Snff!* Who’da d’ought?”  
Rolling his eyes, said one replied:  
“Listen, Katsuya, as glad as I am to know that you take your responsibilities serious, I can not have you running around with a flu and risk you contaminating my staff with your germs. Besides, you sound as if you tried to inhale a-“  
“TCHIIIIEEEEE!  
The sneeze was powerful enough to make the rubber band, which held Jou’s pollution mask in place, snap and the fallout spray all over the brunet’s face.  
Seto blinked, then drew a handkerchief from his pocket and, wiping off the slime and spittle, stated calmly:  
“That…was - _disgusting_.”  
“Gomen” snuffled Katsuya unhappily, as he retreated to the closest restroom of the office building.  
Shaking his head, the CEO focused on the files his _personal_ courier had delivered.  
Whenever he hosted a business meeting near Toyohashi, he made sure to have none other than Jou bring him any documents he requested. This gave the couple the chance to meet under the week and steal a few sweet moments between studies and multi-million contracts.  
However, Katsuya had come down with a cold due to the rainy autumn weather, and the fact that he hadn’t eaten anything real substanial for the past three weeks didn’t help his recuperation any.  
Seto had made the mistake of pointing out the blond’s loss of weight and offered to give Katsuya some financial aid -needless to say, the blond had reacted with wounded pride, declaring rather furious that he in no way depended on the CEO.  
And although the statement filled Seto with great respect for his koi, he couldn’t help but worry.  
The flushing of the toilet made the brunet look up just in time to see his fiancé step out of the bathroom, spare mask hiding the lower half of his face and a washcloth in one hand.  
Seto was rather surprised, when the damp, warm fabric met his face, dabbing away any residual traces from Katsuya’s outburst.  
Alien as it felt at first, the CEO soon relaxed into the gentle motions, as Jou tenderly massaged his cheeks and temples, brushed his forehead and nose and graced his lips.  
“D’ere, all cleaned up.”  
A chaste kiss was placed on the brunet’s crown, as the blond whispered:  
“Shee you neksht week, Sheto. Gomen, but I ‘ave to leave.”  
“Katsuya.”  
The student sighed at the CEO’s stern voice.  
“It’s only one more errand, and d’en I’m done for today. I promishe, I’ll be a good little danshei+ and ‘ead right back to campush, w’ere I’ll tuck myself into my warm, cothy little bed. ‘onto de.”  
One last squeeze, a hushed good-bye and Katsuya was out the door in a whirl.  
Chestnut brows furrowed in reawoken concern.

“-as the Mitsubishi, for reasons yet unknown, swerved and collided with the oncoming truck, which was heading down the freeway in the wrong direction, forcing it off the road. The driver of the truck, who was obviously drunk, remained unharmed and was escorted away by the police. However, the driver of the convertible was not quite as lucky, as the firefighters had to cut him out-“  
He couldn’t move.  
His eyes were trained on the wide-screen TV where the evening news displayed the video footage of the accident, watching in mute horror at the wreckage of Jou’s small blue car.  
His blood run like ice through his veins, when he saw Katsuya’s golden tresses flash through the red, orange and dark blue of the uniformed men swarming the scene.  
Everything seemed surreal, his vision blurred, as the blond was layed on a stretcher and loaded into a waiting ambulance, his beautiful face caked with blood and sooth.  
Seto’s knees gave in, and he had to grab hold of the couch, to avoid simply collapsing.  
A hand shook him and, looking up, he stared into the worried face of his younger brother.  
Mokuba’s lips moved, but no words reached the brunet’s ears.  
Shaking his head, Seto tried to focus and rasped:  
“Nani?”  
Frowning, the raven-haired teen repeated slowly:  
“They are taking him to Toyokawa, because it’s closer. Come on, nii-san, the driver’s waiting.”

“And if you are _ten_ times Kaiba Seto, you are not granted access to Jounouchi-san. Family members only, and as much as I can understand your concern for your boyfriend-“  
“Sensei, I assume, you fail to understand! His closest relatives are his mother and sister, who live in Kobe! Do you have any idea, how long it takes for them to get here?”  
The chief surgeon glared at the CEO, her hazel eyes showing no sign that she was ready to give in.  
“I have a very good idea how long it takes, Kaiba-san. And like it or not, I cannot let you see Jounouchi-san until his family gives their okay-“  
“I _am_ family, for kami’s sake!” thundered Seto desperately, flashing his ring at the sensei.  
“I am his god-forsaken kon-yakushaa*, and if you don’t let my see my soon-to-be husband within the next five minutes, I am going to sue you and your hospital to kingdom come!”  
He would never know wether it was the ring, his emotional tone or the tears glistening in his azure eyes, but the surgeon gave him a long, thoughtful gaze, then nodded.  
“Fine. In this case, I will make an exception. You have fifteen minutes.”  
Guding the brunet to the intensive care ward, she sighed:  
“Be prepared for a shock, Kaiba-san, though his condition is stable, Jounouchi-san’s body took the brunt of the crash. Although, considering how his car looked, I would say, your -spouse was rather lucky.”

He hadn’t thought, his heart could break any further.  
But it did, it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces, when he caught sight of Katsuya.  
The left side of Jou’s face was swollen and freckled with purple and blue, his left arm was in a sling and what could be seen of his chest was heavily bandaged.  
One uncertain step after another, Seto came closer, afraid of touching any of the various apparatus and drips leading to and from his koibito.  
Gingerly he sat down on the chair next to the bed and, taking Jou’s undamaged right hand into his own, finally gave in to his tears.  
Never letting his sight drift from Katsuya, he missed the soft, understanding smile of the sensei aswell as Mokuba placing a blanket around his shoulders.

The steady, beeping rhythm of the machine recording Katsuya’s heartbeat finally lulled the Kaiba brothers to sleep.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I pormise, no more putting-Katsuya-into-hospital-beds-to teach-Seo-a-lesson- chapters. We're done with that..I guess*duckrun*

+dansei: fiancé  
*kon-yakushaa: more formal, also fiancé


	18. Have I told you lately that I love you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beyond the fights, the obsessiveness, the arguements, the stubberness, the pride is a deeply rooted, unwavering trust.

47\. _Have I told you lately that I love you?_

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Shizuka and Honda couldn’t help but smile at the sight that met them, when they entered Jou’s room the same morning:  
Cradling a snoozing Mokuba savely on his lap, Kaiba had a firm hold on Katsuya’s hand, although the brunet was fast asleep.  
“Don’t wake d’em, d’ey’ve been ‘ere all night.”  
Two pairs of eyes focused on the origin of the low, somewhat cracky voice.  
“Onii-san!”  
In a flash, Shizuka was at her brother’s side, trying to hug him past the wires and cables attached to the young man.  
However, a sharp hiss made the girl pause, as Katsuya grimaced in pain.  
“Ki o tshukete ne, I t’ink, I bruised a rib t’ere, imoto” grunted the blond, even as his sister drew back.  
“Among other things” growled a deep, surly tenor, as Seto opened his eyes and shifted, disturbing Mokuba in the process.  
Katsuya gave a half-grin.  
“I ‘ate it, when ‘e wakesh up c’ranky.”

Kaiba had been ranting for thirty minutes now, pacing up and down the care ward, and although Katsuya knew he did so out of worry, he had stopped listening, just like everybody else.  
Finally, with a last yell, the CEO came to stand next to his koi’s bed and snapped:  
“Did you even _bother_ paying attention?”  
Giving the brunet his sweetest, most innocent smile, Jou shook his head.  
Nostrils flared, Seto gave the blond his deadliest glare and snarled:  
“Would you then at _least_ have the kindness to explain us what happened?”  
Katsuya managed to fight the blush, but not the look of utter embarassment coming to his face.  
Snuggling deeper into the soft blankets, he mumbled:  
“I -uhh- shneezhed.”  
Unison, his visitors blinked uncomprehendingly.

~*

Seto was right, he _should_ have stayed in bed.  
Luckily, all he had to do was bring the car back to the office and then he could take the shortcut home-  
Cursing, Jou recalled leaving his umbrella with Seto, as he tried to see past the rain pelting down on his Mitsubishi, running in steady rivulets over the window panel.  
Oh well, since he was already soaked, he would simply step into the University’s public furo to warm up.  
The headlights of an oncoming vehicle blinded him.  
“What d’e-? Fuck, d’is baka’s driving in d’e wrong direcshion!” hissed the blond, as he moved his left hand to the horn.  
“’ave to warn ‘im, od’erwise ‘e-“  
A faint tickle in his left nostril was the only warning _he_ got.  
 _“TCHOOOOOOOOO!!!”_  
It was like a lightning bolt straight to his brain; he lost sight, focus and control for a second, felt the convertible swerve, heard the screeching of tires, the unmistakeable sound of metal crashing on metal and then-nothing.~*

The CEO shook with barely controlled rage.  
“So, basically, your current condition results from the fact that you did not take my advise or your body’s signals serious, ne? Despite my concern for you, you decided to follow your stubborn head and deliver that last parcel?”  
Katsuya gave a small, helpless chuckle.  
“So desu, you.”  
“I fail to see the humor of the situation!” Seto exploded.  
“Jounouchi Katsuya, if you don’t stay put until you are completely healed, I will give the doctors order to strap you down and keep you sedated and in place until you have fully recovered!”  
No one, not even Honda or Kaiba had ever seen _that_ look on the blond.  
Keeping his eyes firmly on the CEO, Jou rasped:  
“Everybody else out. _Now_.”  
The others were rather eager to comply.

Once the door shut closed behind them, Katsuya shouted:  
“You god-forsaken, posshesshive _bashtard _! How dare you say somed’ing like d’at to me, and in front of my sister and best friend, too? W’ad’s d’e matter wi’d you? You know, bein’ prod’ective is nishe, but you’re overdoing it! If you ‘ad your way, I’d probably not even be allowed to leave your ‘ouse! W’y d’e ‘ell are you so fucking - _clingy _?”  
“Because you are obviously not capable of taking care of yourself!” roared Seto.  
Secretly, he was surprised that Jou could even still talk this loud, let alone scream, considering how he nursed his ribcage and how sore his throat probably was. Already know, the blond was panting in exhaustion, sweat forming on his brow.  
The CEO knew, sooner than later Katsuya would not be able to speak at all, if he tried to keep the current volume upright.  
“If you would take better care of yourself, I would not always have to worry and look out for you-“  
“Oh, quit giving me shit! You’re just obshessive, d’at’s d’e problem! Lishten, if you got mental issues or anyd’ing, d’ell me, so I can’elp you, but shtop d’read’ing me as if I were made of glassh! You can’d alwaysh be d’ere to protect me, jusht like you can’d always protect Mokuba-“  
Katsuya snapped his mouth closed in shock, but from the sharp inhale Seto took, he knew it was too late.  
For a moment, both were silent, then Jou whispered:  
“Go-gomen, Sheto, I didn’t mean to imply-“  
The brunet only shook his head, a strange, somewhat defeated air about him.  
“I know. Kami, don’t you think I _know_ that?”  
He drove one large hand over his face, before continuing:  
“Why else do you think, I had you put up as Mokuba’s second legal guardian?”  
Jou gaped at Seto, who gave a tired smile.  
“If anything -and I do mean _anything_ \- should happen to me, you will immediately be taking custody of Mokuba, until he is old enough to take care of himself.”  
Elegant fingers rubbed blue eyes before messing up silky brown strands.  
“It was supposed to be my birthday or wedding present to you, depending on which one would have come first -guess, I ruined the surprise, ne?”  
There was no answer, instead the soft plop of a head hitting the pillow.  
Kaiba didn’t dare to look at Jou, knowing that his dansei needed a moment to digest this new information.  
“Koko ni oide.”+  
He followed the request, carefully siting down on the edge of the bed and draping one long arm around Katsuya.  
Placing his head on the offered shoulder, Jou asked:  
“But..w’y me, Sheto? I mean, it’sh not d’at I don’t appreshiate it -I’m ‘onored, actshually- but..w’y did you choose _me_?”  
A soft kiss to the temple, then:  
“Because _he_ chose you. Mokuba adores you very much, or did you fail to notice? He is always so happy, when you’re around. You are good for him.”  
There was a short pause, then:  
“Just as you are for me.”  
Silver tears rolled over bruised cheeks, silently at first, then accompanied by the occasional sob, until Katsuya choked:  
“Go-gomen nashai, aibou, gomen nashai..!”  
“What for?” hushed Seto.  
Grimacing from both physical and emotional pain, the blond sniffled:  
“’e-‘ere you are, being all worried about Mokuba’sh and my welfare, and I’m being a complete assh, becaushe I’m too shtupid to realize, d’at you’re only trying to protect ush…”  
Tenderly stroking the golden tresses, Seto hushed sweet nothings and reassurements into Katsuya’s ear, trying to calm his crying fiancé down.____

____When the doctor entered some twenty minutes later with the others trailing behind her, they found the couple leaning against one another, dozing peacefully._ _ _ _

____ _ _

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Heh, sorry, but an overwrought, dozing Seto is just too cute to pass up to write..._ _ _ _


	19. Maintaining the edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few giggles and some smut...don't give me that look.

48. _Maintaining the edge_

“-minor concussion, about three dozen bruises, your left humerus is broken, you have two sprained and one cracked rib, are suffering from malnutrition, your left shin is busted- would you like me to continue?” asked the voice above him.  
Jou was tempted to give the sensei a dirty look, but considering the angry, concerned glares he received from four different directions, he decided it was wiser to keep his temper in check.  
The doctor gave a saccharine-sweet smile, when he shook his head, and added:  
“On a lighter note, it appears you are experiencing a belated growth spurt; we are expecting an addition of maximum three to four centimetres, which would bring you up to approximately-“ she looked up from the health chart and pointed at Kaiba,  
“- _his_ height.”  
Chestnut brows disappeared into a hairline of the same color.  
Shizuka cheered:  
“Oh, I bet my brother would look _so_ handsome in one of Seto’s suits!”  
Both men face-faulted, and Honda guffawed:  
“Ano, that’s cool, now you can dress up in something with more style, Jou, ne?”  
“As if they weren’t already _constantly_ in each other’s pants!” Mokuba mumbled under his breath.  
TWACK!  
“I..tai..” whined the raven-haired teen, nursing the bump his nii-san had given him.  
His very pissed off nii-san.  
The Jounouchi siblings sported identical flabberghasted looks(all down to the healthy strawberry shading of their cheeks), even as Honda slammed his palm repeatedly against his forehead and groaned:  
“Arigato gozaimasu, Mokuba, I so did _not_ wanted to know that!”  
“Easy for _you_ to say, you’re not the one who has to put up with them-“  
POCK!  
Again, the CEO’s fist connected with his otouto’s skull, making this one squeal in pain.  
The surgeon gave a disapproving scowl.  
“Kaiba-san, unless you are attempting to give your younger brother permanent brain damage, I would advise you not to do that too often.”  
Seto merely glared daggers at Mokuba, who had retreated to the far end of the room.  
Clearing her throat, sensei advised:  
“Well, I guess it’s a given how to proceed in this case: Jounouchi-san will be needing a lot of rest and nutritious food-I already organized for a protein-oriented diet, tri-weekly PR, and, naturally, no vigorous activity for the next, let’s say, five weeks.”  
“Oh, _bother_ ,” sighed the younger Kaiba, “now he’s going to grow crankier by the day!”  
The distance didn’t save Mokuba from the empty plastic cup his brother hurled straight into his face.  
Sighing, the surgeon adressed the brunet:  
“Are you always this..ill-tempered, Kaiba-san?”  
Shooting Mokuba dark looks, the CEO growled:  
“Only when my brother decides to make me a public laughing stock.”  
“Or if ‘e doeshn’t get any for weeksh.”  
The room went dead silent.

‘I really should get my mouth checked - _and_ my brain, while I’m at it, too’ thought Jou, who had uttered the fateful words and was now facing a rapidly approaching -and visibly fuming- Seto.  
Bending over the bed, Kaiba brought their faces on equal height and said in a disturbingly regal tone:  
“So, my koi has decided to prolongen his stay in those faculties for just a little while longer, ne?”  
Jou gulped and shook his head, when he saw the broad, predatory grin Seto gave him.  
This time, the doctor was clearly annoyed, when she demanded:  
“Kaiba-san, I am afraid, I must ask you to step away from your fiancé.”  
“Oh, there is no need for discomfort, I will not hurt him,”  
smiled the CEO, as he grabbed Jou’s hospital gown in a death grip,  
“irrepairably.”  
Katsuya hiccuped and, fearing for his very life, rasped a few words into Seto’s ear.  
Azure eyes flew wide open, then narrowed in concern and suspicion.  
“Are you certain? I mean, I would not want to hurt you…”  
Knowing, he had peaked the brunet’s interest, Katsuya gave a sly, reassuring grin.  
Straightening himself, Seto kept his gaze on the blond and commanded:  
“Sensei, I need to discuss matters of very.. _sensitive_ nature with my dansei. If you could give us some privacy for the next-“ his eyes flew over the various machines,  
“thirty minutes, I would be rather grateful.”  
The chief surgeon made no secret of her disapproval, but finally led Honda, Shizuka and Mokuba out of the room.

Once the door was locked and secured to the CEO’s liking, Seto returned to the bed.  
Slipping out of his coat, he searched for the least hazardous way to crawl atop of Jou, then went to the rather difficult task of climbing the blond without touching either his wounded arm, ribcage nor the cables attached to him.  
“My, aren’t you nimble” griped Katsuya.  
“Shut up!” snarled Seto, trying to keep his balance.  
When he didn’t recieve an answer, he looked down -and wished, he hadn’t, because Katsuya wore -the _smile_ .  
The one that sayed ’we hope, you have savely fastened your seat belts, for this is a direct flight to the Crab Nebula’.  
It short-circuited his brain and fried any second thoughts he may have had on the spot.  
Well, save for one.  
Nervously grabbing hold of the bed’s steel frame, Seto queried:  
“Are you sure about this, Katsuya?”  
Rolling his amber orbs, the blond rasped:  
“Oh _pleashe_ , if I can open my moush to insult you, I can alsho ushe it to make you ‘appy, ne?”  
“True enough” agreed the brunet and moaned, when Jou pulled down the zipper of his pants and freed his swelling erection.

Arms crossed in front of his chest, Honda glared at the couple’s younger siblings.  
“Ok, I wanna know, and I wanna know _now_! Since when are they _engaged_?”  
Shizuka glanced at Mokuba, who shrugged, but made no attempt to answer.  
“Well, uhmm, nii-san told me, he asked Seto-kun to marry him at the welfare-?” she shot a questioning look at the younger Kaiba, who nodded in confirmation,  
“-the welfare party, and Seto said yes.”  
To say, Honda felt betrayed, would have been an understatement.  
Giving the two cowering teens a haughty look, he growled between clenched teeth:  
“So, as usual, I’m the last to know, ne?”  
Mokuba and Shizuka only shook their heads.  
“Iie, the only one who knows, aside of us three, is the chief sensei, and only because she wouldn’t have let us in otherwise” replied Mokuba.  
That was not the answer Honda had hoped to hear.  
Not really.

There is a certain amount of satisfaction in making a CEO, no one dares to talk back, squirm.  
Especially while sucking him off.  
Jou enjoyed hearing the brunet pant and gasp, mumbling profanites and begging for more.  
However, he was starting to get drowsy, probably from the painkillers, or the emotional rollercoaster, he didn’t know.  
But Seto was too close to his orgasm as that Jou would simply give in to sleep.  
Dedicated to make his dansei come, Katsuya hollowed his cheeks and gave a particularly nasty twist of his tongue.  
Seto squeaked, then threw his head back and ejaculated inside the blond’s mouth, his scream echoing off the white walls.

“KATSUYAAAAA!!!”  
Nurses and doctors came running, but were halted in their tracks by a young brunet and a raven-haired teen blocking the door to the room.  
Both stood their ground, as the hospital staff tried to pry them away.  
“Shikashi-“ worried a skinny red-head.  
Honda only shook his head.  
“Believe me. You don’t _want_ to go in there now.”  
An elder sensei with graying hair bellowed:  
“Young man, if you have any vital information as to what’s happening in that room, I would advise you not to keep it from us!”  
Before Honda could reply, there was a scraping sound, then the door opened and out stepped a rather flushed Kaiba.  
Never paying any mind to the rest of the staff gaping at him, the CEO strode directly to the chief surgeon and announced:  
“I want to be advised the very _second_ his condition changes in _any_ matter, wakarimashita?”  
The woman only nodded and stared after the four young people waltzing out the main entry, before sighing and muttering:  
“I’m in my office, if anybody needs me, and raiding the Prozac stock.”

 

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Kids, seriously. Don't try this. Not at home, nore ever. Seriously.


	20. Catering, caring, caving in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shard and snippets and oddities throughout Jou's recuperation...

49\. _Catering, caring, caving in_

Frowning, Seto asked:  
“How can you eat that?”  
“Msh food” replied Katsuya around a mouthfull of a rather suspicious looking curry.  
Trying to fight down the sudden rush of nausea, the CEO pointed at the grey mush:  
“No, I mean, how can you eat _that_?”  
Amber eyes blinked quizzically at him.  
“Mh h’ngry?”  
Kaiba decided to drop the subject.

“Jounouchi-san, onegai, try to take it slow-“  
“-your body is still admidst the healing process, yeah, yeah, I know, but I wanna get outta this place rather today than tomorrow!”   
panted the blond, pushing himself to the limit, ignoring the flashes of pain shooting up from his ribcage.  
His PR-trainer silently counted to twenty, reminding himself that it was not useful for neither his carreer nor health to strangle Kaiba Seto’s boyfriend.

He had found him.  
Kami know how, there had to be about a hundred closets in the mansion, but his brother had found him.  
And considering the look on his face, he was anything but happy.  
Putting up his most powerful weapon -the dreaded puppy dog eyes- Mokuba pleaded:  
“Onegai, Seto, I really only meant both your best, you _must_ believe me!”  
Towering over his otouto, the CEO snarled:  
“By ordering a set of white-and black striped tuxedos for our wedding?!?”

“-the polarisation of the individual ions may result from the different elements they originate. Taking this into consideration-“  
As nice a friend Gokasho was, Jou would have dreaded to have the brunet for a constant tutor.  
Or teacher even.  
Hell, at the moment he would have rathered Seto to help him catch up on his studies, but since this one was working and barely managed to wrestle himself free for a few precious minutes to visit his dansei, chances were slim to none for that to happen.  
“Are you tired?”  
The voice cut into his thoughts, shaking him from his reverie, and Jou shook his head.  
“Good!” bellowed Gokasho, as he drew another textbook from his knapsack.  
“Then let’s continue with advanced biochemistry. Chapter three: catabolic reactions and ATP(Adenosine-tri-phosphate).”  
Katsuya considered faking a fainting spell to avoid another hour of Hiroyuki’s teaching.  
On the other hand, if he lost his scholarship…  
With renewed dedication, Jou focused back on his studies.

Kaiba Seto loved to snuggle.  
Especially because it was his birthday and Jou had waited for him on his bed, when he came home from work.  
Barely two weeks had passed since the accident, and today the blond had been allowed to leave the hospital for the day.  
Needless to say, the first thing he did was to call up Mokuba and organize a little party for his significant other.  
Nothing too special, just Seto’s favourite meal -beef filet stripes- red wine, candlelight, soft music and Jounouchi for desserts.  
There had been some..difficulties regarding Katsuya’s healing ribs, bandaged arm and cast leg, but where there is a will, there is a way, and since both of them were quite willing, they found a possibility to make love.  
And although it was not even _remotely_ as wild and fast as usual, it still held the same breathtaking passion that had both of them screaming in ecstasy.

Jou grimaced, when the bandage was tightly drawn around his torso.  
“Oh, gomen nasai, did that _hurt_?” asked the chief surgeon sweetly, giving the cloth another tug.  
“Well, don’t come crying to me, Jounouchi-san, I told you not to indulge in any _matrimonial_ activities for another three weeks. Now you must suffer for your..impatience.”  
The blond merely grumbled something intelligible, which the sensei didn’t even deem worthy a reply.

“Take a deep breath and hold it, then count to ten and let it out slowly.”  
Jou followed the order.  
Shying him off the stretcher, sensei instructed:  
“Bend as far as possible and stop, when you feel the slightest pain.”  
Again, the blond did as told, boredly grazing his toes with his fingertips.  
“Do you feel any pain?”  
“No,” grunted Katsuya, ”but it’s not comfortable either.”  
The surgeon smiled.  
“We’re almost done. Ok, last test, stretch both arms as far as possible, then balance first on the right, then on the left foot.”  
Katsuya felt admittedly stupid, but easily mastered the task.  
Satisfied, sensei told him to dress up again, while dotting down a few notes, then turning to the blond.  
“Well, Jounouchi-san, it appears your recovery has beeen a full success All fractures have grown together flawlessly and what little extra weight you put on will surely be used up by your remaining growth spurt. I would say, you’re free to hop.”  
“Yes!” cheered Katsuya, as he slipped into his coat and boots, then gave a polite bow to the elder woman:  
“Domo arigato gozaimasu, sensei. I will remain in your debt forever, considering all the effort and trouble you went through to aid me while my recuperation. Though I may have been a troublesome patient, rest assured-“  
“Mou ii!” sensei waved off.  
“Enough already, you’re making me blush! Just make sure I don’t see you within my hospital anytime soon, not even as visitor, wakarimashita?”  
Giving an embarassed chuckle, the blond nodded and promised her to be careful.  
Closing the chart containing his medical history, the chief surgeon asked:  
“So, do you have any plans for today?”  
Katsuya, who was already halfway out the door, paused and gave the sensei the dirtiest grin she had ever seen in her long life.  
“Just one.”

“Oh, _Setoo_!”  
Looking up from his laptop, the aforementioned furrowed his brow in confusion.  
Had that been Jou-? No, impossible.  
Because try as he might, the CEO couldn’t recall the last time his koibito had used that tone.  
Pushing his seat back, he shut down his laptop and headed for the door-and almost bumped into Katsuya.  
Who wore a slightly -ok, a _very_ \- deranged look on his face.  
Seto opened his mouth -and found it plundered by Jou’s wicked, eager tongue.  
They broke the kiss, but before the brunet could even catch his breath, he was hoisted over the blond’s shoulder in a fireman’s hold and carried swiftly to his bedroom.  
“Katsuya, matte, matte kudasai, what did the doctor say?”  
He was dumped on his bed and immediately his koi began stripping him.  
Annoyed, the elder Kaiba huffed:  
“Katsuya, I asked you a question, and even though I appreciate the attention, I am very well capable of undressing my..self…”  
He trailed off, when his eyes met Jou’s, dark and blazing with lust -no, hunger.  
Need.  
Seto realized, it was wiser to use the few precious moments Katsuya needed to get undressed to prepare himself as good as possible, for it was going to be one long, hard night.

Groaning, Mokuba pressed his pillow against his ears, trying to shut out the noises coming from opposite the hallway.  
“Sound-proof walls my ass,” he growled,   
“first thing tomorrow, I’ll sue the architect! Oh kami, why couldn’t Jou spend just this one night at home?”  
A horrifying thought struck the raven-haired teen:  
The Kaiba mansion was Katsuya’s home aswell!  
Once they were married, the blond would be moving in with them, permanently!  
“Kami, kami, onegai, Katsuya, oh _GOOOOODS_!!!” came Seto’s wail through the closed door.  
With a whine, Mokuba rose to get his earplugs.

Amazed, Mokuba stared at Seto across the breakfast table.  
His ani had fallen asleep while reading the newspaper.  
With open eyes.  
The younger Kaiba was still gawking at his brother, when Jou came sauntering in, glowing with pride and satisfaction.  
“Ohayou, Mokuba, o-genki desu ka? Morning, aibou!”  
“He can’t hear you, he’s asleep” hushed Mokuba, still baffled. “Kami, what did you _do_ to him, Jou?”  
The blond cocked a brow.  
“You sure, you wanna know?”  
Mokuba fervently shook his head, sweatdropping.  
“Iie, not really. Still, this can’t be healthy.”  
“Oh, believe me, giri no otouto,” chuckled Katsuya,   
”there are several countries where I would be sentenced to death for what I did to your nii-san last night.”  
The ebon-haired teen shot the blond a dirty look.  
“Getting the two of you neutered would be quite sufficient, thank you very much”, he mumbled under his breath.  
Seto chose that particular moment to wake up and catch his otouto’s last comment.

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*cackle* Sorry, couldn't resist...also, show hands who feels sorry for the chief surgeon..the poor woman probably needed a counselour afterwords.


	21. Be mine and be yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And another song, _Joy of my life_ by _CCR's_ very own _John Fogerty_. Check out his _Blue Moon Swamp_ album for this. I switched the 'she' to 'he' to fit the story.  
> An arguement, an announcement, a little Christmas cheer and a hint of lemon.

50\. _Be mine and be yourself_

_I tiptoed in the room_  
I know you got to have your rest  
He says, "Come lay beside me,  
I've been waitin' since you left" 

“May, twenty-fifth.”  
Removing the phone from his ear to save his eardrums from Shizuka’s excited squeal, Jou smiled.  
Once the girl had quietened down, he listened to her rambling, then answered:  
“Because it’s halfways between our birthdays. Besides, May is usually quite stable, weather-wise.”  
Again, a string of words assaulted his hearing, and he chuckled:  
“Iie, we’re still fighting about that -well, actually _Seto_ ’s fighting with Mokuba about it, but if you got any useful inputs-“  
“She will not be coming to the wedding, am I understood?”  
Katsuya flinched at the harsh words, then narrowed his eyes.  
“ _O-kaa-san_?”  
“Don’t you dare to call me that! I will _not_ have my daughter attending the betrothing of two - _faggots_!” hissed the elder woman.  
“MOTHER!!!” shouted Shizuka in a voice, Katsuya had rarely heard his sister use.  
“I can’t believe, what I’m hearing! How can you be that way? He’s my brother and your _son_ , for kami’s sake!”  
“I don’t have a son! Stay away from him, do you hear me Shizuka?” shouted Kawai-san.  
“Like _hell_ I will!” screamed the teen, and Katsuya went slackjawed.  
His imoto had to be rather furious to be cussing, leave alone in front of their mother.  
“After all he did for me -for us- you still treat him like-like-like a +hanzaisha! He’s _not_ outo-san, so stop accusing him for everything that went wrong in your marriage! It’s not his fault, just like it isn’t mine! Besides, I’m eighteen years old, that makes me legal, and I can go wherever I want!”  
There was a rustling, a choked sob, then Shizuka announced:  
“Nii-san? I will be there, no matter what! And Christmas Eve, aswell! Oh, and about your suits, don’t worry, I’m sure Mokuba and I will find something fitting. Ja ne!”  
Katsuya mumbled a half-hearted goodbye, then hung up.  
His heart clenched in pain; every single word of his mother had stung like a sword’s blow, and although he had known how she thought about him, had even expected this reaction and worse, it still hurt.  
Moments passed in which the blond simply stood there, lost in thought.  
Then he let out a roar, a shout of pure agony, rage and defeat, and rammed his fist into the wall.  
His knuckles left a dent and a few crimson smears on the otherwise cream-white surface.

_He's sweet to me_  
Must be the luckiest man alive  
And did I tell you baby  
You are the joy of my life 

It was..perfect.  
The velvet sky was adorned with myriads of stars, spanning as far as he could see, the fresh, powdery snow reflecting their light and casting a brilliant glow over the scenery.  
Strong arms encircled him, and he leaned against the offered chest, bathing in the comfort of the hug.  
“Are you happy?” whispered Seto into his ear.  
Jou smiled.  
“Hai.”  
Nuzzling the blond’s neck, Kaiba smirked at the reaction he got out of his aibou.  
“You’re cold.”  
“In contrary,” moaned Katsuya, “I’m burning.”  
“Honto de?” grinned the CEO, one hand moving towards his dansei’s crotch.  
”Well then, let’s see, what we can do about-“  
“Seto-kun! Nii-san! Come on, it’s time to unwrap your presents!” called Shizuka from where she stood on the cottage’s porch.  
It was Jou’s turn to smirk, when Kaiba growled in annoyance:  
“I would rather unwrap _you_.”  
Ah yes, he loved to put his koi on hold when he was horny, it made him that more…responsive.  
“Easy there, big boy” hushed Jou, when Seto pulled him behind a snowwall and tried to get into the blond’s pants. His dansei only snarled, but when Shizuka called their names anew, he regained his composure.  
“Fine. But remember Katsuya,” azure held gold, “stay away from the eggnog.”  
With those cryptic words he marched towards the house, puzzled Katsuya in tow.

_First time that I saw you_  
Ohh, you took my breath away  
I might not get to heaven  
But I walked with the angels that day 

They had come here to the Kaiba’s winter residence in Aomori to spend Christmas with their family -well, siblings and friends.  
True to her word, Shizuka had abandoned her mother for the holidays and even managed to bring Honda, Yuugi, Anzu, Otogi and -Mai along for the ride.  
Yes indeed, the dice duelist had started dating the elder blonde a couple of weeks ago, and so far, everything ran smoothly for them, seeing how they were momentarily cuddled together in one of the two lover seats.  
Unlike Yuugi and Anzu.  
The NY Dance Academy had permited the brunette within its pristine halls, and now she was looking forward to joining the big league.  
And the tri-color haired duelist had yet to admit his feelings for her, which of course led to a certain..disharmony between them.

_He takes me by the hand_  
I am the luckiest man alive  
And did I tell you baby  
You are the joy of my life 

“Final Fantasy XII, Limited Edition! Thanks, nii-chan, you’re the best!” squealed Mokuba in delight, as he threw his arms around Seto’s neck.  
Honda couldn’t help the chuckle.  
“Nii- _chan_?”  
An arctic glare and his koi’s elbow in his rib however stopped him from saying anything stupid.  
Yugi gave a polite cough, then cheered:  
“Well then, who’s turn is it next?”  
Glances were cast around, then everybody’s eyes fell on Jou.  
Sighing, the blond bent down and took a square parcel from the stack underneath the large Christmas tree.  
With a smile to Seto, Katsuya went over to Honda and Shizuka, took his sister’s hand into his own and placed it into Honda’s right.  
“Honda, I admit, when I first found out that you dated my imoto, I was-“  
“Furious” butted Seto in.  
His koi gave him a dirty look, before continuing:  
“Yes, well, however, come time, I realized how much you cared about Shizuka, and how happy you made her,” at this, both brunets flashed a deep crimson, which the blond wisely chose to ignore,  
”so I..organized a tiny little something for the both of you. I hope, you like it.”  
Thanking his best friend enthusiastically, Honda tore off the paper and Shizuka opened the box. A small, red laquéd wood chip with a golden onzen sign and two comfy yukatas came into view.  
Puzzled, both lovers gazed at Katsuya, who gave them a semi-wicked grin.  
“Nan de-?”  
“A weekend in the most exclusive Ryokan of whole Kusatsu, all expenses paid in advance -feel free to ring up the manager anytime you get a few days off.”  
There was a short, stunned silence, and then Shizuka threw herself at her brother, squeezing him almost to pieces. Merely seconds later poor Katsuya found himself in another bone-crushing hug, courtesy of Honda.  
During the general ruckus and expressings of gratitude, Yuugi quietly rose from his seat and, choosing a tiny cask from the pile, sat down beside Anzu.  
“Anzu?”  
Looking up, the brunette gazed at him, and the young man cleared his throat nervously, before rasping:  
“I-I..wait, let me start again -first of all, I wanted to congratulate you. I know how hard you worked for getting a chance to go to America, and well, all I wanted to say is, that-that I’m happy for you. And-and that I’m going to miss you. A lot.”  
Smiling, Anzu wanted to reply, but was halted by Yuugi.  
“To be honest, I don’t want you to go. The thought of you leaving me behind..it-it scares me. And imagining that you might..like it there so much that you decide to stay there for good, is too much to bear. That’s why I would like to..uhmm..give you something to remind you, you have something worth returning to. Someone who will always be waiting for you.”  
Everyone had quieted done while Yuugi’s speech and now went slack-jawed, when the tri-color haired Game Shop owner knelt down in front of his long-time crush and, revealing the golden, emerald-adorned ring in the case, rasped:  
“Ma-Mazaki Anzu, over all this time we have known each other, you have always remained true to me, have stood and fought at my side and willingly risked your life for me time and time again. In you, I have found a caring friend, trusted comrade and faithful woman. The kind of woman I would like - _love_ to spend my life with.”  
Amethyst eyes gazed pleading into sky-blue ones.  
“Anzu, will…you marry me?”

_Some may have their riches_  
Some may have their worldly fame  
Long as I have you  
I'll treasure each and every day 

Everybody present held their breath, waiting for Anzu’s reply. Nobody moved, nobody blinked.  
Then crystal tears ran over the brunette’s cheeks and, burying her face in Yuugi’s shoulder, she choked:  
“Ha-hai, Muutou Yuugi. I would be honored to become your wife -oh gods, I thought, you would never-and then-and-“  
Her words went under in her sobs and the cheering of their friends, who congratulated the newly-engaged.  
Yuugi rocked the two of them back and forth, even as Anzu covered his face with kisses.  
Finally, Seto grew somewhat annoyed of the sentimental mood, and announced:  
“I rather, we all open up our remaining presents. Would anyone care for some more eggnog?”  
Remembering his fiancé’s warning from earlier, Katsuya politely declined, even as Seto refilled the other’s glasses. Then the CEO retrieved a simple, black sachet from admidst the two remaining gifts and handed it to Jou.  
“You shouldn’t have”, mumbled Katsuya gratefully.  
Seto gave a tender, longing smile.  
“I know” he whispered, watching in growing amusement as his fiancé loosened the silken bands keeping the purse closed, glanced inside, took a second look -and turned bright red.  
“Nani?” asked Shizuka, worried at her nii-san’s flustered expression.  
“Jou, what is it?” queried Mai, wondering what could have made the blond blush such a brilliant color.  
This one only glared into the sachet, before taking a deep breath and, replying in a cool voice:  
“Jaa, how shall I put it? My future husband is the most generous, humble, inventive,” he shot the smirking Seto a dark look,  
”biggest, one-track minded, ecchi _hentai_ in the whole damn WORLD!!!”  
Said hentai chuckled, even as the others gaped at the raging Katsuya.  
It took several attempts to convince the blond to reveal his present, and when he did, his friends and sister only blinked uncomprehendingly.  
“But -it’s a ring! Why are you so upset?” asked Mokuba. Otogi cocked his head from side to side, musing aloud:  
“Mou, isn’t it a little… _big_ to stick it on your fing-“  
Realization hit Honda, Otogi and Mai at exactly the same moment.  
Paling, Honda shot up from his seat and, stalking over to the table, grabbed the eggnog and poured himself two glasses, before swerving around and, pointing his finger at Seto, stuttered:  
“Thi-this is the last Christmas I’m spe-spending at your house! In future, stop involving us in your sick games!”  
“Hnnn, I don’t know, I think it’s rather pretty” stated Mai, causing the brunet, Katsuya and her boyfriend to facefault.  
“ I mean, it’s studded and-“  
“I don’t want to _hear_ it, ok?” moaned Otogi, even as Honda banged his head against the dinner table.  
Anzu frowned, her eyes darting back and forth between Katsuya, Seto, the ring and Mai.  
“Gomen, but I don’t understand…”  
Mokuba huffed.  
“Believe me, neither do I, and am I ever so glad about it!”  
Seto gave his otouto his sweetest smile(which scared the hell out of the raven-haired teen) and drawled:  
“I will explain, once you are old enough.”  
“Kami spare me! My therapist is already having field days, every time I show up!”  
A few chuckles, a couple of stray comments, and then Yuugi yelled:  
“Oh..my…GODS! It’s a _cockring_!”  
Despite it being deepest winter, one could hear the crickets in the following silence.

_Just take me by the hand_  
I am the luckiest man alive  
And did I tell you baby  
You are the joy of my life 

“Seto, you are one evil bastard! How can you poison our friends and family?”  
“I didn’t poison them, I merely added a simple, yet effective sedative to the eggnog” purred the brunet, trailing kisses up and down Katsuya’s body.  
The blond gave him a half-lidded glare, that lost its impact, when Seto inserted a finger into him and started probing.  
“How-nnh-long have you been-uhh-planning thi..iis?”  
A small cry escaped Jou’s lips, when his dansei found his sweet spot.  
Leaving a bite mark on Katsuya’s right hip, Seto chuckled:  
“The minute we decided to go on vacation.We have to thank Mokuba for that idea. His repeated complaints about our…noise level made me think, that I would rather not want to wake our guests, so I took precaution of ensuring they had a nice, sound sleep. Now hold still.”  
Clenching his teeth, Katsuya did as told, trying not to cum into Seto’s face, when this one slipped the cockring over his member and pushed it down as far as it would go.  
He barely had it fitted around the tip, when Jou winced and swatted Seto’s hand away.  
“Nan de?”  
“It hurts, in case you failed to notice my pained expression” growled Katsuya.  
Seto frowned.  
“That is impossible. I took the measurements myself and had it handcrafted especially for you. The only possibilty is, that the juweler made an error…”  
Gently prying the ring off, the brunet mumbled under his breath:  
“All those months of careful preparations..!”  
Katsuya blinked.  
“ _Months?_ ”  
His koi nodded.  
“Of course months. I gave the order in summer, so there would be time enough for eventual..alterations…”  
Cocking a blond brow, Jou stuck his tongue into one cheek, then mused:  
“It may be completely off-handed and scientifically incorrect, but -doesn’t a growth spurt normally include the _whole_ body?”  
He would have to remind himself to embarass Seto more often.  
The blush fitted him perfectly.

 

_And did I tell you baby  
You are the joy of my life_

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Heheheheee, at first I wanted Mai or Otogi call out the cockring, but then I figured it would be funnier to have Yuugi do so.  
I did a pencil sketch of the scene where Seto tries to 'unwrap' Jou behind the snow mound, take a look-see:

https://www.deviantart.com/felidae5/art/JouKai-vacation-780545299

 

+hanazisha: culprit, in this case delinquent


	22. Justice by the minute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life comes bearing trouble and a startling revelation. Old ties are severed, as a fight years in the making finally comes to happen.

51. _Justice by the minute_

“Kuso-!”  
Letting out a string of curses that would have made a sailor pale, Katsuya swiped the papers off his desk and rested his face in his hands.  
Nevermind how often he recounted and calculated it, the result always remained the same:  
He was broke.  
Well, short of money to be more precise, but it still was obvious that he needed a different source of income to maintain even the lowest standard of living.  
And with all the advanced classes and extra courses he had to attend to keep his grades on their current level, a second job was out of question.  
Sighing, Katsuya started picking up the items on the floor, stacked them back on the table and started browsing the newspaper for a more profitable employment.

Letting his gaze wonder over his lover’s face, who was picking listlessly through his Shabu-Shabu, Seto took in Katsuya’s paleness, worried expression and dull eyes.  
“Is there something troubling you?”  
Jou’s head shot up, blond hairs pooling around his shoulders, making Seto’s eyes flash with desire.  
“Nani-?”  
Putting down his chopsticks, the brunet stated:  
“Katsuya, it’s your birthday, we are enjoying a meal you would normally gladly run from Nagasaki to Kyoto and back to devour, tomorrow is Sunday and we are both off, and yet, you seem -depressed. Why?”  
Seto took a sip from his Côte-du-Rhône, then placed the glass back on the table and asked:  
“You are experiencing a financial abyss, aren’t you?”  
Sighing, Katsuya confessed:  
“Not really, it’s just-I need a new job.”  
A scowl marred Seto’s features.  
“Gomen? Did they fire you-?”  
“No, no, of course not!” Sweatdropping, Jou waved off.  
“It’s just that my free scholarship is running out end of March, and that means, I’ll have to come up for the college fees myself. And no, I don’t want your money or help. I appreciate it, but I’d rather, you let me handle this myself.”  
Smiling, Seto took the hint and dropped the subject.

The phone had been ringing at least twelve times, before Jou decided to save himself the nerve and picked up the reciever.  
“Moshi moshi, Toyohashi Daigakkou?”  
“Heya, Jou-kun, how are you?” came Honda’s bellow over the receiver.  
“Honda, nan de-?”  
“Gomen nasai, I only called to wish you a happy belated birthday. Sorry, I didn’t mean to forget you or anything…”  
“No problem, I wasn’t around anyway. Seto and I-“  
“Arigato, that’s far more than I wanted to know!”  
Katsuya sweatdropped.  
“But what I wanted to ask, you still loo-“  
“Tada ima! Hiro-koi, I got the green peppers you wanted, and the fresh ginger too!”  
Stunned, Jou blinked, then croaked:  
“ _Shizuka_?”  
He could hear Honda’s nervous gulp over the reciever, as well as his imoto’s steps, as she came to the phone and asked:  
“Nan desu ka?”  
“Uhhh…”  
Taking the reciever from the brunet’s hand, she tweeted cheerfully:  
“Konban-wa, you have reached the Honda residence, how may help you?“  
Eyes narrowed, Katsuya queried:  
“Shizuka? Is that you? What are you doing at Hiroto’s place?”  
There was a terrified gasp and a short, clanking sound, as his sister dropped the phone.  
“Shizuka? _Shizuka_!” yelled Katsuya, then quietened and listened to the hushed conversation in the background, as well as his sister’s choked sobs.  
Moments later, there was a soft rustle and then Hiroto rasped:  
“Go-gomen nasai, Jou, I didn’t expect her home this early-“  
“Honda Hiroto, if you can’t give me a very _good_ explanation as to why my sister is doing shoppings for you, I would advise you to settle whatever business you still have standing out, because if I don’t like your answer, I’m going to make it my personal task to send you to hell!” growled Katsuya.  
A short pause, then Hiroto muttered:  
“You sound more like Seto every day!”  
“I will take that as a compliment. Now, would you care to tell me as to what my sibling is doing at your appartment on a regular workday, when she should be attending school?”  
“Uhh, ja-hold on a sec.”  
Katsuya growled in annoyance.  
Again, quiet words were exchanged, then Honda spoke:  
“Listen, Jou, the reason Shizuka didn’t tell you anything was because she was afraid-“  
“Nani? Afraid? Of me? Why should she, I’m her elder brother! She knows I would never hurt her!”  
“-that you would go and do something rash. We all know your temper-“  
“How can I do something rash, when I don’t even _know_ what’s going on?” roared the blond.  
Hiroto groaned, thinking by himself that ignorance had never been able to stop his best friend from taking action.  
“Just-calm down and listen, ne? You have to promise me not to do anything stupid, wakarimashita?”  
“Alright,” fumed Katsuya, “ I won’t do anything-“  
“No. I want you to promise and _mean_ it, Katsuya. Promise me you will not go out there and wrec havoc!”  
Jou frowned. It had to be very serious if Hiroto insisted on his pledge.  
“Fine. You have my word. Now, would you _please_ tell me what happened?”  
Sighing, his best friend answered:  
“Shizuka had a...fight with your o-kaa-san. Your mother-disowned her and threw her out of their house.”  
“WHAT?!?”

She had always known he would grow up to take on his father’s physical attributes, despite him having her eyes and the infamous golden hair running in her family and showing up only every third of fourth generation.  
Kawaii-san stared at her son, towering over her and emitting an air of disappointment and ill-concealed rage.  
Last she had seen him, Katsuya had been only slightly taller than her, a teenager, a boy really.  
Four years down the line had made a difference.  
The Katsuya she was facing now was a grown man with responsibilities, desires, hopes, dignity, compassion and honor.  
And vengeance in his heart, if the look in his eyes was any sign.  
In her years of marriage she had come to learn, that the most dangerous Jounouchi was a quiet Jounouchi.  
Since his arrival, Katsuya had not yet uttered a single word.  
Kawaii-san had offered him tea, coffee, anything, but he only kept staring at her, making her more nervous by the minute.  
Finally, just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he rasped:  
“How could you do that? How could you disown your daughter?”  
Whirling around, the elder woman hissed:  
“She defied me! She disobeyed my wish to stay here and rather joined you and your gay friends in your cozy little winter hideaway! I don’t even want to imagine what happened in that-that- _brothel_!”  
“Oh kami forbid that an eighteen years old girl would rather spend Christmas Eve with her friends and aibou and brother! And besides, we were not smoking pot or got drunk or anything! None of us is into drugs-“  
“That is beside the point!” screamed Kawaii-san furious.  
“I am not willed to take disrespect from my musume! Shizuka not only refused to do as I told, but had the nerve to lie to me aswell! She told me she would be spending Christmas with Hiroto’s, instead she ran off with that smooth-talking boyfriend of hers. And now she’s making preparations for your and your pimp’s wedding!”  
Jou bristled with rage.  
“Don’t you dare call him that! I don’t care how or what you think or talk about me, but I will not have you insulting my husband!”  
“ _Husband_? That pampered snob is not even your lover, he is merely using you as a gigolo, a toy! As soon as he gets fed up, he will dump you!” screeched his mother.  
“Stop reflecting everybody and their lives from your own narrowed point of view!” barked Katsuya.  
“Just because it didn’t work out for you and dad, doesn’t mean Seto and I can’t be happy together!”  
Kawaii-san froze and Katsuya knew, he had struck a nerve.  
For a while, mother and son only glared at one another, probing, searching, accusing, until the young man stated:  
“You know, all these years I only accused otou-san for breaking up our family. I always thought, it was all his fault, that he alone drove you away. Now I see, that you are just as much to blame as him.”  
He shook his head and snorted.  
“No wonder, the two of you got married. You’re two of a kind.”  
The slap stung.  
Not his cheek, he barely felt it there, but his heart and pride.  
Drawing deep breaths to calm himself down, he heard his o-kaa-san snap:  
“Don’t you ever dare compare me with that kusoyaro! I don’t have to put up with that kind of behaviour, neither from you nor anybody else, wakarimashita?”  
Jou nodded once, slowly.  
“Hai. Perfectly.”  
Then he straightened himself and, turning towards the door, mumbled:  
“Don’t worry. None of us will bother you ever again.”  
Upon stepping out, he added, more as an afterthought:  
“I hope you realize, that by disowning Shizuka, you also threw away any chances of ever meeting your grand-children.”  
The door quietly shut closed in Kawaii-san’s face.

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Yeah, I decided to share the blame -the whole leaving her son behind whithout a good-bye or an explanation while he's chasing her car still doesn't sit well with me...


	23. Feeling better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, everybody, let's hear it for - _The Beatles_! Gracing us with a fan favourite, namely _Here Comes the Sun_ taken from their _Abbey Road_ album, which celebrates its Fiftieth birthday this year.  
> Actually, it makes this chapter somewhat more tolerable since it is one of the more subdued ones in the entire story. Yet, there is a plot point hidden within- enjoy!

52. _Feeling better_

Readjusting his glasses, the employment agent put down the file and fixed his vis-a-vis with his dissecting gaze.  
“Well, I must admit, your resumé and recommendation are rather -impressive. Yet, there is one fact that puzzles me.”  
‘Oh boy,’ thought Jounouchi resignatedly, ‘here we go again.’  
“Why would Kaiba-san’s -partner need a job? I mean, wouldn’t your... _friend_ be happy to aid you?”  
Inwardly, Katsuya rolled his eyes, but replied in a cool, impassionate tone:  
“He surely would do so gladly. Yet, since I am both physically and functionally in perfect health, I fail to see the reason to use my _aibou_ as crutch, when I am entirely capable of supporting myself.”  
Nodding in understanding, the personnel manager rose from his seat, indicating that the interview was over.  
Handing the folder back to Jou, he concluded:  
“Well, then, Jounouchi-san, we will inform you wether or not your abilites might be of use to our company. Have a nice day.”  
“Arigato gozaimasu.”

_Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
And I say it’s all right.  
Little darling it’s been a long cold lonely winter,  
Little darling it feels like years since it’s been here_

There was not much to move from her mother’s place.  
Within two hours, Honda, Katsuya and Shizuka had loaded all her belongings into the rented mini-bus and cleaned the room.  
Upon them ascending the Toyota, a lonely figure stepped out of the house.  
None of the young people inside the vehicle so much as cast a final glance at Kawaii-san, who stood on the porch.

_Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
And I say it’s all right_

_Little darling the smile’s returning to their faces,  
Little darling it seems like years since it’s been here_

„I hereby declare this champagne bottle for open!“ bellowed Seto, causing the other ones to roll their eyes.  
The birthday-reunion-house-warming-engagement party had been a full success so far, seeing as how the entire old gang had managed to meet here in Honda and Shizuka’s new appartment.  
After eating, dancing, playing games, dwelving in memories and the newest gossip, the caterers were rightfully tired and, a better part of them, rather inebriated(actually, Otogi, Mai and Yuugi were out cold, and Anzu was more asleep than awake).  
“Oh damn, Kaiba, knock it off already, a comedian you’re not!“ mumbled Gokasho under his breath, holding on to his beer and the dozing Yukuri.  
“Yeah man, sit down before you hurt y’self”   
slurred Ryou, right before he fell over on his side, barely conscious, almost knocking the sleeping Mokuba off the couch.  
Shizuka yawned, resting her head on Honda’s shoulder, who gave her a tired smile.  
“Besides, I don’t think anyone of us wants another drink. Nii-san?”  
Katsuya shook his head.  
“Iie, I have to drive, seeing as Seto is in no condition to do so.”  
The CEO, who was busy refilling glasses, rose to his full height and glared at his dansei.  
“What makes you say something like that? I am still quite sober, and besides, you are a terrible driver.”  
“Oh really?” The blond cocked a brow.  
“And who had to pay 2 million Yen for driving drunk and short-cutting through the Domino Park in their Ferrari?”  
Five pairs of eyes gave the flustered brunet five equal, half-lidded glares.

_Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
And I say it’s all right_

Eighteen.  
Eighteen interviews so far, and still no positive answer.  
Sighing, Katsuya drove the comb one more time through his long hair, before securing the blond strands with a black leather string.  
He picked the folder from his desk, straightened out his suit and inwardly prepared himself for the next interrogation.  
Perhaps today was his lucky day.

_Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.  
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.  
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.  
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes_

„-consideration your vast technical understanding, which is why you will be working directly with the laboratory. Your assignments include cleaning up the rough pencil stages of the layouts, co-directing the production schedule, maintaining the project report s-do you think, you are able to manage all this without endangering your studies?”   
queried his new employer.  
“Machigai naku.”  
A smirk ghosted about the elder man’s lips.  
“Well then, welcome to Atsumi Electronical Industries, Jounouchi-san.”  
Steel-blue eyes locked with amber ones.  
“Hope you survive the experience.”

_Little darling I feel that ice is slowly melting,  
Little darling it seems like years since it’s been clear,  
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
It’s all right_

_Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
It’s all right, it’s all right_

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Gah, job interviews..also 2 million yen equal about 22'000 Us dollars. Yup, replacing all that grass destroyed by the tyre markings can get pretty costly...


	24. One lonely kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My dears, this is it; the final chapter of part two. Once more _Eurythmics_ honor us with one of their most famous ballads: _Miracle of Love_. And I guess we all know the outcome.  
> Love, vows, happiness, lemon..and deserving of every tissue you can get ahold of.

53. _One lonely kiss_

 _How many sorrows_  
_Do you try to hide_  
_In a world of illusion_  
_That's covering your mind?  
_

___ _

______He couldn’t remember ever being _this_ nervous.  
Outwards as calm and regal as always, Seto felt the sweat trickle down his neck into his collar.  
And then his breath caught in his throat, when Katsuya entered and proceeded down the aisle.  
Golden hair tied back and up in a samurai knot, a few long, loose bangs framing the finely chiseled face and highlighting the blond’s big brown eyes, high cheekbones and full lips, Katsuya equaled beauty, passion and pride.  
Seto’s heart was racing, his knees almost gave in, his surroundings, save for the beautiful blond, dimmed and vanished before his sight, and all of a sudden, he had to fight the happy tears threathening to quell out of his eyes.  


____

_I'll show you something good_  
_Oh I'll show you something good_  


__  
He was beautiful, amazing, breathtaking, enthralling, perfect...Katsuya ran out of words to praise the tall brunet waiting for him at the altar.  
The traditionally designed wedding kimono gave Seto the appearance of a shogun; power, honor and dignity enrolled in one.  
But it was the look on his groom’s divine features that made Katsuya want to run up to Seto, bury himself in this one’s strong arms and never let go.  
Instead, he let his gaze travel over Seto’s silky chestnut hair, perfect nose and strong chin, paused a moment at the column of his neck and the broad shoulders, admiring the sliver-blue embroidery on this one’s attire as opposed to his own gold-red one, the fine silk ornamentation the only difference between their otherwise identical kimonos.  
Coming to stand next to the brunet, Katsuya faced his groom-and then the world stopped turning, as their gazes met.  
‘How did I ever deserve someone this perfect?’ ‘I could stand here for all eternity, looking into your eyes and never regret a minute.’ ‘You smell so wonderful, like an ocean breeze carrying the scent of cherry blossoms on a dewy summer’s morning.’ ‘Kami, I want to whisk you away to the heavens and make love to you among the stars you descended from, my beautiful dragon.’  


_When you open your mind_  
_You'll discover the sign_  
_That there's something_  
_You're longing to find_  


The +soryo’s polite cough interrupted the to-be-weds’ mental intercourse, requesting their vows.  
Both gave a soft, regretful smile, then Seto commenced:  
“All my life, I had come to believe that things like love and happiness were not meant for me. I had accepted my fate, prepared to remain lonely, misunderstood and hated for as long as I live. And then I met you.”  
Seto paused, swallowed hard, then continued:  
“From the very first moment, I was taken by your beauty, your enthralling personality and positive outlook on life. My -my own insecurities and shortsightedness however, drove me to treat your kindness with cruelty, and thusly you away from me. I regret every single minute we wasted fighting, every single time I pushed you away from me. I would give all I have, if I could go back and righten my wrongs, but all I can do is spend my every waking moment making you happy and love you with every single fibre of my heart. I promise to cherish you, come life or death and past all eternity, Katsuya.”  
It was Katsuya’s turn to blink away tears and, with a choked sob, he replied:  
“For as long as I can remember, I always felt as if I was unwanted, left out, a burden to the world. I have been chasing and fighting for acceptance, equality and affection since I was born, never finding what I sought. And then you came into my life, and I knew, I had found somebody who felt and shared my pain and loneliness, who understood me. A soulmate.  
Sadly enough, between my wounded pride and fear of rejection, I failed to see the hurt I caused you with my inconsiderate behaviour. And while it is beyond my power to turn back the hands of time, you have my word that I will remain true to you, no matter what, and that nothing will ever drive me away from you. The day I stop loving you is the day I die, and not even death itself can kill my love for you. Aishteru, Seto. Itsumademo.”  
Katsuya gazed longingly into his groom’s azure eyes -and then Seto started crying.  
Openly, mutely, unashamed; silver pearls ran over the brunet’s cheeks and mingled with the sake, when he drank three sips from the first bowl the priest handed him.  
His koibito was no better off, the blond weeped quietly, as he nipped from his second bowl.  
There was a short pause, as they were handed each their third bowl.  
After the last of the following three sips, there would be no turning back.  
They would be officially and legally married.  
A smile, a indiscernable bow -the first sip.  
A cocked brow, a knowing smirk -the second drink.  
Gold held azure, sparks of lust dancing in their eyes -and then the sake wet their lips, danced across their tongues, run down their throats -and sealed their bond.  
Honda breathed a sigh of relief, as he walked up to the newly-weds and handed them their engagement rings on a small, black cushion; the silver bands had been decorated with a simple line of gold and the kanji of their wedding date added next to their names.  
Katsuya picked Seto’s ring off the pillow and placed it on the same digit it had been resting on for the past months and would now remain for good.  
Smiling, he offered his hanamouko^ his own hand, and Seto wasted no time slipping the ring onto Katsuya’s finger.  
And then Seto lay his arm around Katsuya’s waist, pulled the blond close and gave him the sweetest, softest, most loving kiss ever.  


_The miracle of love_  
_Will take away your pain_  
_When the miracle of love_  
_Comes your way again_  


I would have been impossible to keep the press out.  
So Seto had chosen a few priced journalists to attend the wedding, minimum equipment of course, and stacked them in a secluded area of the shrine, heavily guarded by his security.  
Needless to say, the event was aired live, and all over the country people witnessed Kaiba Seto guetting married to one Jounouchi Katsuya.  
In her empty house, Kawai-san watched the ceremony with a mixure of loss, grief, anger, disgust -and jealousy.  
When the cameras focused on the crying CEO, centred on her first-born’s beaming face and then swerved over to the cheering Shizuka, Mokuba, Honda and Yuugi-tachi, she couldn’t take it anymore.  
Breaking down, Kawaii-san sobbed, tears flowing freely, as she remembered a different life, a different her, receiving that loving gaze, emitting that cherished glow, pleading endless love, all those years ago…  


_Cruel is the night_  
_That covers up your fears_  
_Tender is the one_  
_That wipes away your tears  
_

__

Domino City Prison, the recreation room, mere moments later:  
“Whodda thought, they’d tie the knot?”  
“Yeah, but y’ gotta admit, the blond’s cute!”  
“No argument there. Although the name’s somewhat familiar…”  
“So desu, you. Hey, Jounouchi, ain’t that yer boy?”  
The bulky man at the far-off table cast a hatefull glare at the screen, where Kaiba was busy kissing his eldest offspring, then returned his attention back on the novel he was reading and snarled:  
“I have no son.”  
The other shuujin* knew better than to tread on their fellow inmate’s sore spot.  
However, a pair of cold, grey-brown eyes settled on the elder Jounouchi with sudden interest.  
Inside a cunning brain, a devious plan took form.  


_There must be a bitter breeze_  
_To make you sting so viciously -_  
_They say the greatest coward_  
_Can hurt the most ferociously_  


“Kami, Seto, harder, harder!” begged Katsuya.  
„Oh gods, you’re going to _kill_ me!“ groaned the brunet, as he pounded into his husband, who was pinned between him and the wall.  
Luckily, the bathroom of the president’s suite on the penthouse floor of the Kochi Shiawase Grand Hotel had a spacious shower, otherwise their sexual intermezzo would have been quite -uncomfortable.  
“We-gotta-huh-hurry-the others-might get -oh gods, _Seto_!”  
Katsuya’s release rushed Seto’s orgasm, both men screamed in bliss, before the brunet slumped to the floor, exhausted, cradling the blond in his arms.  
Water poured over them, washing away sweat and semen, until Katsuya moaned:  
“Come on, we have to hurry, aibou. The others are waiting for us, and we still got to change.”  


_But I'll show you something good_  
_Oh I'll show you something good_  


“Where are they?” whispered Anzu, even as Yuugi cast nervous glances towards the main entry of the hotel’s ballroom.  
“Shirimasen,”° confessed Shizuka,” maybe they got stuck in the elevator, or something.”  
“Oh, they sure got stuck _somewhere_ ” muttered Mokuba under his breath, and Honda nodded enthusiastically.  
Mai, Otogi, Ryou and Gokasho merely sweatdropped, even as Muutou-san and Yukuri exchanged knowing glances.  


_If you open your heart_  
_You can make a new start_  
_When your crumbling world falls_  
_Apart_  


Dinner saw the couple in casual, yet sexy suits, laughing and joking and enjoying themselves.  
They made a big show feeding each other with their favourite dishes and fighting over the last Dim Sum, although the maître d’assured them -repeatedly- there were more than enough waiting in the kitchen.  


_The miracle of love((Must take a miracle)_  
_Will take away your pain((Must take a miracle)_  
_When the miracle of love((Must take a miracle)_  
_Comes your way again((Must take a miracle)_  


Boredly, Mokuba played with a forgotten peanut, before flicking it across the table and asking:  
“Just… _how_ long does it take for one to put on a tuxedo?”  
It was a rhethorical question, and the caterers merely studied the floor, no one really wanting to think about it.  


_The miracle of love_  
_Will take away your pain(In this heartless world)_  
_When the miracle of love_  
_Comes your way again(And now it lasts, I now it lasts)_  


It was hard to describe, the way they danced, almost floated, across the floor.  
Red and blue, black and white, Seto and Katsuya had drifted to their own little heaven, the long-tailed tuxedos in their signature colors fitting them perfectly.  
The blond was lost in his husband’s blue eyes and the music, until he felt Seto’s arm move from his waist southwards and a strong hand groping his white-clad rear.  
“Seto,” growled Katsuya dangerously, trying to fight down the blush creeping to his face,  
“you have three seconds to remove your hand from my ass to where it belongs, otherwise…!”  
“Otherwise _what_?” purred the brunet in the black suit, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.  
“Otherwise all of Japan will get a live demonstration of how loud Kaiba Seto can scream when being screwed senseless.”  
The limb returned to Katsuya’s waist, even as Seto mumbled something unintelligible about tight dress pants…  


_The miracle of love(People turn and hurt you, they try to hurt you if they could)_  
_Will take away your pain(And it must take a miracle)_  
_When the miracle of love(must take a miracle)_  
_Comes your way again(must take a miracle)_  


Before handing out the presents, Katsuya and Seto had switched back into traditional kimonos, more colorful and less formal than the ones they wore for the ceremony, but no less elegant.  
Seto had been in charge of the presents, Katsuya had given him a list of things he knew or thought their friends and family wanted, and the CEO had spent an almost perverted sum of money on fulfilling every last wish.  
After saying good-night, respectively good-bye to their guests and the reporters, the couple demurely walked back to their suite, trying to keep up a certain amount of modesty and reign over their hormones.  


On the security tape however, Kaiba could be seen dishelving and positively molesting his husband, right before they stumbled into their room and the door shut closed behind them.

 _The miracle of love(must take a miracle)_  
_Will take away your pain(must take a miracle)_  
_When the miracle of love(must take a miracle)_  
_Comes your way again_  


°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°  
Hopefully, you liked this final installment of the second part. I mixed Japanese and Western wedding procedures to both fit the story better as well as also make the chapter shorter. The vows basically wrote themselves; I wanted to make them both confessions of love and trust as well as apologies and offerings of forgiveness.  
Once more, thank you for following the story so far; I will update part tree gradually, as I try to hurry its completion  


Arigatou gozaimasu  


Felidae  


\+ soryo: shinto priest  
*shujin: inmates  
hanamoukou: formal: husband  
^Shirimasen: I don't know  



End file.
